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Hiotographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICIVIH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


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to 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


D 


D 
D 


D 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


I      I    Covers  damaged/. 


Couverture  endommagde 


□    Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaurde  et/ou  pellicuiie 


I      I    Cover  title  missing/ 


Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 

Coloured  maps/ 

Cartes  gdographiques  en  couleur 


□    Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 

I      I    Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 


D 


Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 

Bound  with  other  material/ 
Relid  avec  d'autres  documents 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  re  liure  serrde  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  int^rieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajout^es 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  dtait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  dtd  film^es. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  suppldmentaires; 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  6t6  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-dtre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  m^thode  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiqu^s  ci-dessous. 


D 
D 
D 
0 
D 
0 
D 

n 
n 


Coloured  pages/ 
Pages  de  couleur 

Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommag6es 

Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restaur^es  et/ou  pellicui^es 

Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  ddcolor^es,  tachet^es  ou  piqu6es 

Pages  detached/ 
Pages  ddtach^es 

Showthrough/ 
Transparence 

Quality  of  print  varies/ 
Qualit^  in6gale  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  material/ 
Comprend  du  materiel  supplimentaire 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 

Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partieilement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  6t6  filmies  d  nouveau  de  fapon  d 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


Tl 

P 
o 

fl 


0 
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th 
si 

01 

fh 
si 

01 


Tl 
si 
Tl 
w 

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di 
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be 

"J 
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m 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  filmd  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqu^  ci-dessous. 


10X 

14X 

18X 

22X 

26X 

30X 

^ 

12X 

16X 

20X 

24X 

28X 

32X 

lire 

details 
jes  du 
modifier 
ger  une 
filmage 


des 


The  copy  filmed  here  has  been  reproduced  thanlts 
to  the  generosity  of: 

National  Library  of  Canada 


The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  ^^-  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  y  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


L'exemplaire  film6  fut  reproduit  grdce  Jb  la 
g6n6ro8it6  de: 

Bibliothdque  nationale  du  Canada 


Les  images  suivantes  ont  6x6  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
de  la  nettetd  de  l'exemplaire  filmd,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 

Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprim6e  sont  filmds  en  commenpant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  selon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
oiiginaux  sont  film6s  en  commenqant  par  la 
premidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
dernidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  ^»>  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbole  V  signifie  "FIN". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  dtre 
filmds  6  des  taux  de  reduction  diff^rents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clich6,  il  est  film6  6  partir 
de  Tangle  sup^rieur  gauche,  de  gauche  6  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  ndcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  m^thode. 


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UNDEVELOPED  NORTHERN  PORTION 


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AM  EiaCAN  CON  TIN  KNT. 


A     L  i;(!  T  IK  !•; 


DKIJA  KHEl)  IN  THE  ( OIUSK 


I!  I.  i  (•  i:  I. 


bi:ll\s  co^BiERc  ial  college 


IH^H]  iMi  II  .V  II  Y,    1  sr)(; 


i:  Y 


I.    L.   SCR11M»S. 


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O  lEI  I  C  .A.  C3-  O  r 

"  DKMOCKATIC    J'UKSS "     8TF,AM    rillXTIXG   UOl'SE.  -i:.    CLARK.    SI'UFl.T, 

i  B  G  e  - 


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I 


CUICAOO,  March  1,  ISof. 

,o„„„d  ■„,  .he  co»»  U..0.  Be,,.  — ;    ,,,  *;„en,,  .„..  Tac^  o..„o....-.n,  -.i- 
.„  Portic,  of  the    American  Co„t,nc„  ,    ^^  ^^^^^  ^„^„„,,,,,  „.„^a  ...pcctfu,,,- 

..Lit  i«  pu.,,ca.ioo,  .«  .  »-»  o.   c  U.„d,06  .„  ^   ^    ,,^,^.^^^ 

W.B.Ogdc„,  T„o.W.™na,  J..  w.H.B,o»„, 

J.  Young Scamnion,    11.  A.  i^i      .,  ^^    ^^    ^^^(^^^ 
Mark  Skinner. 


o 


THE    TTNDEYELOPED 


1 


NORTHERN  PORTION 


OI' 


THE  AMERICAK  COMNEHT. 

BY  J.  L.   SCRI3PPS. 


nv, 
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this 
luUv 


During  the  summer  of  1855  I  visited  the  Lake 
Huperior  country.  Passing,  for  the  first  time, 
fruui  the  rich  alluvions  and  the  deciduous  flora 
which  rest  upon  the  carboniferous  rocks  of  the 
Valley  of  the  Mississippi,  into  a  region  of  trap 
and  of  granite,  where  the  old  volcanic  action 
hud  left  its  marks  of  force  and  of  fire  in  bold 
upheavals,  in  great  mural  escarpments,  in 
huge  metallic  veins  driven  upwards  to  the  sur- 
face through  rocky  fissures,  and  where  the  spray 
of  innumerable  cascades  touched  with  a  fresher 
beauty  the  perennial  verdure  of  the  stately 
pine— it  was  very  natural  that  I  should  conceive 
u  sudden,  an  almost  enthusiastic,  interest  in  a 
country  thus  abounding  in  forms  of  beauty  and 
of  grandeur  which  to  me  were  entirely  new. 
But  when  I  came  to  consider  the  influence  upon 
the  destiny  of  our  country  — upon  our  civili'sa- 
tion  and  our  politica'  institutions — which  must 
follow  the  settlement  and  development  of  the 
vast  territory  lying  between  the  parallel  of  lati- 
tude on  which  we  are  situated  and  the  farthest 
habitable  limit  northwurd,  and  between  Labra- 
dor and  Canada  on  the  east,  and  the  Russian 
Possessions  on  the  west,  that  interest  assumed  a 
greater  intensity — a  still  more  absorbing  char- 
acter. 

After  my  return  home  I  betook  myself  to  the 
study  of  this  tiri'tt  incoijnitii,  I  was  surprised  to 
find,  notwithstanding  it  has  heretofore  aitracted 
scarcely  any  of  the  public  attention,  and  even 
the  wull-infbrmed  and  cultivated  classes  rest  in 
almost  total  ignorance  of  its  character  and  re- 
sources, that  nevertheless  much,  comparatively, 
hud  been  written  descriptive  of  it  by  a  fen-  in- 
trepid men  who,  combining  the  qualities  of  trader 
and  explorer,  had  penetrated  its  wildernesses, 
crossed  its  mountain  ranges,  rambled  beside  iti 
water  courses,  furrowed  with  their  bark  canoes: 
the  placid  bosom  of  its   innumerable   lakss,  and 


struck  hands  with  the  nomadic  bands  of  IndiaoH 
that  inhabit  it. 

It  was  whtn  in  the  midst  of  these  studies  that 
I  was  solicited  to  contribute  to  the  course  of 
"home  lectures,"  for  which  the  public  are  in- 
debted to  the  liberality  of  our  esteemed  fellow- 
citizen,  Judge  Bell,  and  being  so  deeply  inte- 
rested in  the  subject  myself,  I  thought  I  could 
not  select  a  theme  for  an  hour's  discourse  more 
likely  to  command  the  attention  of  a  Chicago 
audience  than  the  country  lying  to  the  north- 
ward and  westward  of  us,  and  which,  for  all 
time  to  come,  must  bear  a  most  intimate  relation 
to  our  city.  If,  thought  I,  we  listen  with  rapt 
delight  to  lectures  upon  Egypt  and  India,  upon 
China,  Japan  and  Loo-Choo— countries  around 
upon  the  other  hemisphere — surely  we  cannot  be 
wholly  indifferent  to  information  respecting  a 
country  lying  just  beyond  our  visual  horizon,  a 
part  of  which  is  ours  by  inheritance,  the  remain- 
der of  which  is  maturing,  like  fruit  in  autumn, 
to  full  into  our  expectant  lap,  and  all  of  which, 
whether  it  become  ours  or  not,  must  contribute 
to  the  greatness  and  wealth  of  our  city  through 
the  coming  centuries.  Whether  in  this  I  judged 
correctly  or  not,  will  be  for  you  to  determine 
after  you  shall  have  listened  to  such  facts  and  re- 
lations as  I  may  condense  into  the  brief  time  al- 
lotted to  a  public  discourse.  But  whatever  may 
be  your  verdict  on  my  effort  to  satisfy  your  ex- 
pectations, of  this  I  shall  ever  rest  assured,  that 
un  intensely  powerful  interest  lies  in  the  subject 
whether  I  shall  succeed  in  eliciting  it  in  any  de- 
gree or  not. 

THK   SUBJECT     DEPINEB. 

With  this  much  by  way  of  introduction,  I  pro- 
ceed to  the  consideration  of  the  subject.  And 
first  I  will  clearly  define  the  region  of  country 
which  it  is  proposed  to  pass  in  review.  If  we 
draw  a  line  on   the  map  from  the  eastern  ex- 


trcriiu  of  Ijiikc  .Sn])crior  northward  it  will  Htriko'iiift  the  ton(;iu-H  of  p(>])nlatioii,  projuctin;;  iiortli- 
tliu  soiittit.Tnniost  Mrtui.'p  of  11iii1s<iii'h  li>\y.  We  wanl  inio  tin;  wildurm-HH,  rtach  I'ur  iibovoit,  uud 
tiik(!  llii.s  liiiL' lis  ttiu  castirii  boiiiuliiry,  lliu  I'li-  ii(.twillistandin;r  tin  re  is  nmch  iiiisi'lllt'd  (miim- 
ci lie  Ocean  us  the  western,  and  Uie  Arctic  (ir  try  noiitli  ol' it.  Tliis  line  will  pass  ubout  Imil' ii 
frozen  Ocean  us  the  northern  boundary  id"  the  dcgreu  Bouth  of  Ihu  Saut  St.  .Mary,  nearly  ii  <le- 
counlry  marked  out  for  considiTatioii.  The  ijreu  north  of  St.  Paul,  and  enters  tlu  I'acilic;  at 
hoiitherii  boundary  is  less  cleiirly  iK  lined  by  nut-  the  nioiUh  id'  the  1,'olnnibia  Itiver. 
iiral  land-murks.     The   tide   ol'  civilized  iiopiili-  tiik  n  ii  comi'amks. 

tioii,  in  its  movement  westwanl,  cheeked  in  its  A  historical  inti'iesl  attaches  td  the  country 
jiro/jress  by  the  j;rcat  chain  of  .Norihwestern  embraced  within  the  boundaries  thus  desiKmHed. 
Jakes,  fell  off  to  the  southward,  settlin;;  the  Fornearly  two  centuries  it  bus  been  tho  Hold  id' 
thither  shores  of  those  inland  seas,  until  urr.iv-  operations  of  the  Hudson  l!ay  Coiiipany,  and  f.  r 
iii^^ut  the  southern  extreme  id'  I-ake  Mu:liijfiiii  it-  u  portion  of  that  period  of  French  traders,  also, 
sejiaruted  into  two  streams— one  (d  which,  eiirv-  fpom  Caniidii,  who  were  followed,  after  the  ces- 
inn  sharply  northward,  lollowed  up  the  shore  sion  cd'  (,'anadit  to  the  IJriti.-h  crown,  by  ii  much 
line  of  tiie  lakes  to  the  western  extreme  of  liike  .shrewder  and  keener  cia.-<»  of  men  (d  Scoicli  (h - 
Superior,  in  latitude  -17^  uorlh— tlu  other,  pro-  scent.  At  a  later  jjcriod  the  American  KurL'oni- 
;,'ressin>,'  v.estward  to  the  Mississippi,  jtlanted  pany,  through  its  agents,  eiitend  the  country 
itself  uloiifr  that  streuin  and  its  tributaries  in  south  of  our  national  boundary  to  contest  iho 
■Wisconsin  and  .Minnesota,  to  very  nearly  the  lu-ize  of  the  valuable  commerce  of  tliis  extended 
sumo  parallel.  I'roceediiii^  westward  over  e.x-  wilderness.  The  history  of  the  Fui  Tr.'de  ii[)ou 
tensive  plains  and  by  way  of  numerous  lakes  the  American  continent  has  yet  to  be  written.  It 
and  water-courses,  we  u^ain  come  to  u  civihzetl  is  a  lield  id'  rare  interest,  abounding;  in  romantic 
jieople,  not  drawn  thither  by  the  onlinary  laws  mi  1  thrilling;  incident,  and  8inj;ularly  uttraciivi! 
of  euiijirution,  but  taken  up  bodily  out  of  Muro- in  that  it  tmfidds  the  effects  rcsiillinjf  from  a 
])eau  cuniDiunities  by  u  jriant  monopoly  for  it.s  frLi[nent  cidlision  id'  civilization  and  barbarism 
<iwn  Hellish  purjioses,  and  planted  down  in  this  out  ju  the  wilderness,  with  no  restraints  of  civil 
Western  Hemisphere,  on  the  Red  Uiver  of  the  law  or  of  public  opinion  to  temper  orcontnd  the 
North,  in  the  midst  of  u  ;;reat  wilderness.  These  insatiable  {rreed  of  j,Min  which  characterized  the 
jieople  ure  the  product  ul'  a  colony  established  one,  and  with  no  hij;her  jiower  than  thosO  traita 
there  by  Lord  Selkirk,  under  the  auspices  id'  the  of  native  nobleness  wh  ch  aoinetimes  ure  seen 
Hudson  Jlay  Company,  as  early  as  1^11.  As  the  breakinjj  lliroii;:h  the  environments  of  barbarism, 
settlement  increased  in  population  il  extended  to  stay  the  iiiijuilses  of  savai^e  ferocity  on  the 
along  the  banks  of  the  Ucd  Uiver  from  ue:.r  the  part  of  the  other.  With  such  a  teniptinj;  lield 
48lh  to  the  Tii'ih  jiarallel  id'  north  latitude.  Con-  as  this,  invitiiifj  both  the  pen  and  the  ])encil,  il 
tinuing  westward  through  Minnesota  and  >'e-  iiirelr  will  not  be  long  before  those  who  are 
braska  we  shall  lind  no  other  settlements,  except  capable  of  occuj)yinK  it  worthily  will  be  induced 
towards  the  southern   jiortions  of  those   territo-  to  enter  upon  it. 

ries,  until  we  cross  the  Kocky  Mountains,  where  About  the  year  MuT  Henry  Hudson,  an  Eng- 
we  again  discern  a  northern  movement  of  pop- llish  navigator,  discovered  the  Bay  which  Ijears 
uhition  planting  itself  upon  the  I'aciliu  coust,  hi.-i  name.  A  few  years  subsecpient  to  this,  settle- 
around  Admiralty  Inlet  and  I'liget  Sound,  along  inents  had  been  established  u[)on  the  waters  of 
the  Straits  of  Fuca and  the  (iiilf  id' Georgia,  up  the  Bay  by  enterprizing  English  traders  for  the 
to  our  extreme  northern  bouiulury;  und  ]pass- purpose  of  engaging  in  triillic  with  the  neighbor- 
ing up  the  coast  through  the  intervening  British  mg  Indians.  The  French  in  (!,iiiada  becoming 
Possessions,  we  cuiiie  again  upon  settlenients  in  .uvaro  of  these  oper.itioiis  resolved  to  eonti;st  the 
Uussiaii  America.  '.ground  with  the  ]']nii;lish    traders.     In  IGoO,  pre- 

Thesefour  lines  of  settlement  which  v,  c  have  cisely  -''''  year»>  iJgo,  the  Litter  IJrst  appeared  in 
thus  hastily  traced,  constitiite  the  advanced  the  vicinity  ui'  the  I'.nghsh  settlement.-^,  and  ill- 
guard  of  the  great  arniy  id' occupation  now  blood  between  the  two  parties  was  speedily  ec- 
Steadily  advancing  northward,  and  which  will  genderod.  About  IGCO  two  \essels,  equip- 
ultiiuatelj  spread  itself  out  over  the  broad  in-  ped  at  Quebec,  proceeded  tii  Iludson'.-i  Bay,  and 
tervpning  spaces,  recovering  thw  land  from  bar-  the  j)arties  concerned  in  the  expedition  eiicted 
b.iric  rule,  and  transforiniiig  it  into  seats  id'  civi-;a  few  forts  upon  their  arrival ;  and  from  thence, 
liziVtion  and  contre.s  of  great  moral  movements.  |  until  the  ratilication  of  the  treaty  of  I'trechl,  the 
For  the  purjioses  of  this  discourse  it  will  unswerioperations  of  the  tivo  I'arl'es  were  conducted 
to  designate  the  'tilth  parallel  of  north  latitude  umid  perjjetual  strife  iiiul  fVei|neiit  hlood.shid. 
lib  the  southern  boundary  of  the  undeveloped!  But  the  contest  between  these  rival 
muiherii  jioriiiMi  (d  the  continent,  not  withstand-' trr.ders     had     not    coiitiniied      a     ".--re.it     \ihilo 


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i/.i'd    III    i;i;(;l.iii(l    witli    iiicii    iiiul    iiioiicy  (<iil- iii;,' Id  oxtutiil  its  (iixT.itii.iiH.  Tlii'  l.ittiT  cltiii.iiif;  *   *;' 


.7 


ticifiit  to  sociirc  it  in  its  |>iis8L'Sf*ii>n«  IkvuuiI  cvi'-  ihc  ri)flit  it  Hcmplit  to  rxiTcisc  uikIit  tlic  gr;iiit  in 
ry  C(intiii;,'i'nry  uhirh  Imh  brt;i!l>.ii  it  down  i,  rrinuL'  Kii|ii.'rt ;  ttivloniur  on  the  rijjlit  of  din- 
till.'  iiriMi'iit  liiiH'.  This  WHS  l!n!  Ill  Dsdx  !'.av  cuvitv— it  IvmIil;-  l.cid  Ijy  Ilit;  I'li'iicli  tliiit  Niw 
CoMi'A.NV.  lis  cii-ij^iii  li.tt.  s  hick  to  li^'i.',  wliiii  Fniiifo  iiHjIiiilcd  not  i.nly  il\e  ('.mad^s  lint  iliiii. 
t'hurli's  lilt'  II  cr, lilted  by  rnyiil  cliartir  tn  lll^  it  extoiidi'd  i.ir  intn  llu- inl.Tiur  ul  tin;  fMiiiim  in. 
cinisii),  I'liii.i  U'ii<'vl,  iii'.tl  til  M.vir.'il  (iili't  Tin;  I'rt'iu'li  tr  idi'f.i  pisuctl  nil  itiin  I.iiku  Siip''- 
Miiuli«li  NijIiIl'iiicii,  all  tli.it  ]i(.niu:i  I'f  Ni'illi  rinr,  iniil  trmii  ir.-.  Wcstrrn  cMiffiiity  Hprond 
AiMiTicii  lidiiiuK'd  wi'st  liy  tliu  I'.if'ilic  Oci'iin  :iiid  tlictiiM  ivi".(  mit  over  lli>;  couiitry  wontwiirdly, 
the  Uiissiiiii  ji.iSM'-sioii^,  (111  tlin  Ni'illi  liy  tlic  islulili.-liiii;!;  pcsis  oil  llio  iiiipiT  Mi-sisM|i|ii,  on 
Arctic  Sim,  (111  till- E  i.<t  by  tlir  Al'.iiiiic,  und  mi  iiiiiiiy  I.uki;  Kurr,  on  lif  iJ.il  Kiv.T  ot  thi- 
tbc  Sipiitli  by  nil  iiii.i;{,,i,iiy  Iimj  niniii''^  no  tl  '•  Nnrlh,  mi  l!ii/  A>.-iniiibniii  u'd  Iliu  .•'  i^kiitclirw.i'i 
St.  l/uvri'iic-  and  Ibrou^iii  tbu  urcit  I- ik. .-  KivcTs.  Tim  Ki;!;ii.-h  tin  tin' oIIht  b.nid,  ndii-d 
towariLs  the  Hettitijj  .sun.  It  i.s  iiittTt-.'^tin^;  tn  liiore  upon  induciii|,' tliu  liulians  t.i  emu,'  ini.i 
obhorvo  bow  vury  low  iin  tstlni.ite  lliosf  curly  ihcir  Corts  on  lIud>oii's  Hay  at  lli'.- innnlh  oC  lb.- 
i;n^;li.>.li  iiiniiarcbs  pl.itcd  upon  tin.-  dcii'^iulciiclc.s  .Wd-soii,  tbt-  Cbiircbill,  nnd  (iiImt  rivciH,  wiib 
of  ibe  criiwuin  America,  lloru  was  ii  lici' ^r.uil  tjuir  liir.f  and  pcltii^';-,  ilic  [roilnc!  o|  u  ycur'- 
(>r  over  thrc'j  iiiilliiiiis  ot  sqii.iri' miles  ol  'J'l'iri-  innii,  tlmn  in  scndii.;;  out  tin  ir  trmb-rs  to  tin- 
tory,  all  (il  it  rioli  in  lurMand  li.-li,  iiiiicbor  it  in  unmiuls  occnpii-d  by  tlu!  lopcciivc  tribisi.  Ii 
Hdil,  iiiniiiifrai,  in  imvij^ablo  .streams,  in  v.ilni-  wms  a  loii^  wtiilu  lictoro  Ibc  hcrv.mt.s  of  ilic  coin- 
blu  lorcHts-  -ti  territory  in  one  of  tlic  pr, dries  ot  |,,ii,y  juid  pemtratcd  uh  f.ir  south  as  LakoWinni- 
wbicli  "the  fast  uiicliorcd  Isle"  ilselt  iii!i:iit  bav.  (n.^r,  unu  when  tliey  did,  tbcy  foiiml  tlioir 
been  lo-l ;  and  the  cbarter  was  so  carefully  rivals  be.d  pnjudiced  ibu  Indians  against  tbeiii 
drawn  ilial  it  hccnrHii  to  tlio  g-.-ntees  this  stu-  to  bucb  an  extent  that  it  was  dilliciilt  to  indMCi- 
)u;iidoiis  territori.d  manor  ill  perpetuity,  and  an  ihciii  to  tradeal  all.  Throii;;hout  tlie  long  coii- 
cxelusive  riglit  of  trade  wiibin  it  forever.  Of  late  nnued  rivalry  between  the  two  parlies,  tins  ])nl 
the  legality  of  the  I'rancbi.ie  lias  been  denied,  icy  wa.s  lollnwed.  ll.icb  titrove  to  iiillauie  llii! 
but  so  powerful  is  the  coiii]iaiiy  nt  lioine,  so  niimls  of  the  savages  against  the  other,  and  cicii 
great  its  iiilluence  through  its  vast  weallli  iind  tninislered  to  their  passions  and  appetites  to  (iro- 
tliroiigb  it.s  members  ai  '!  coiiiieelioiis,  tliai  the  pitiate  their  good  will.  This  contest  was  carrii-d 
iliiesiion  has  never  _\  et  been  brou;;ht  before  llie  on  with  varied  fortune  lo  either  jiarty  until  the 
courts  for  luijiuliLalioii.  In  those  d.iys,  too,  cession  of  Canada  to  Ijigland  in  17n  M,  when  tli'- 
geographical  knowledge  was  Very  limited  and  l'"rciicii  traders  entirely  withdrew  from  the  (•nun 
imperleci.  The  ideaof  a  Northwestern  Passage  to  try_ 

ibe  I'acilic  jiossessed  the  minds   of  the  culliva-      Jint  the  menibera  of  the  Hudson  liay    Compa- 
ted  cl.BSes,  anil  the  probable  discovery  of  such  a  ny  had  scarcely  more   than  congratulated  thein- 
jiassage  through  the   waters  llowing  into   Hud- selves  upon  this  wiihdrawal  of  their  ancient   ri- 
tion's  l!av    was    made    one   of    the    .ostensible  vals,  before  anot!   '.   .dats  of  traders    took  their   • 
grounds  on  which  the  grain  was  issued  to  I'rinee  pbice.     As  nearly  as  I  have  been  able  to   ascer-  ,» 
Uupert  and  bis  associates.     Undoubtedly   there  tain  from  the  iiiitboritics  which  I  have  consult-.^ 
were  jiolitical  and  tuiiiily  reasons  at  the  Uasis  ot  ed,  the  lirst  ajip'  araiice  ot  the  coiKiuerorsof  Caii- 
this  charter,  but  tin;    King   had    sullieienl   J>ru- ada  upon  the  waters  of  Lake  Superior  in  the  c;i-   »•* 
dence  not  to  thrust  them  upon    the   Hitention    o(  picity  of  traders  was  in    IVi''"'— three  years  after  "  , 
bis  !-ubJect,>.  ihe  cession  of  the   country   by    Fnineo.     Tinse  ,' 

Organized  upon  this  charter,  the  Hudson   15ay  traders   were    mostly  of  Scotch    origin.     To   a 
('nmpaiiv  has  maintained  an  active  and  prolita- shrewdness  in  business,  which  .s    proviriiiiil   ol    # 

.4 

l)h' existei.ce  for  iitNirly  two  centuries.  Knthroned  the  Scotch  peoide,  they  united  an  eiiteiprisc,  a  * 
in  Solitary  grandeur,  for  most  of  ilie  tin, e,  in  the  spirit  of  ailveiiture,  a  bi>ldiie?s  in  iinrMr.i  of,  « 
frozen  North,  it  soon  grew  into  a  despotism  more  gain,  and  aa  indoniilable  jier.-everanc.;  aini  enrr-  *  f 
riirorous  than  the  climate.  Its  imperious  edicts  ^'y  before  which  all  ob^lacles  melled  awav.  'i  ilt!^"  • 
have  always  been  the  sole  law  of  its  luinierous  Scotchmen  from  (Janada  enl.Ted  sitifile-hanii-  •  . 
servants,  and  it  has  ruled  with  ti|iii'l  determiiia- cJ  upon  the  broad  field,  in  direct  com|)(lition  ** 
lion  the  Indian   tribes    which    have  coiitiibiited  with  the  powerful  coinp:.ny  of  the  North.     Iiidi- 


M  » 


« 


to  Its  weidll 


vidual  enterprise  oji  ;ned  the   way  and   carried 


The  !• 


rem 


•ii    t 


r;tiler.<    I'loill 


(,'anada,  niter  thev  these  bold,  energetic  n.ei 


were  drivi  n  in. in  Ihu 


's  Iniv   bv    th 


eir   mo 


re  French  had  jieiietratt 


far  v.L  St  Ward  as  ti 
and  even   rurther  imrll 


powerful  rival,  sought  n  new  channel  ol  trade  by  ward  Inwards  the  princiii.d  ise>il  of  the   Hudson    \ 
w.av  oflh(>    Lakes   with  the  same  cnnnirv  over  i'.ay  ('onijiany  than  tlipir  jiredene-sors   had  vi  !■ 


a|  J»  WiiN  an  iiiuiiual  one,     Wii  oiiu  nuif  siodu  a  \n)\\-  j„   iv,,]^  „.^.  ii,,,,.„    soiiiotliiiitJ  of    tlio  busmen 

K    >  «rliil  Cninp.iny,  Willi  wiMltli,  wilh  iiifii    trunu'd  the  Northw.'stt'iii  Cuminiiiy  in  lb.;  turliur  p«r 

VT^  in  iis  Horvicf  wbo  kni'W  no  law  Have  such  uh  Iboir  „i'  ^^|^  exirttuncf.     In    17«8— four  jt'urB  ufter 

V    V  iiiiiiuriiiUi  niii»li.TS  dictalt'd,  wilb    ii  jcrcul  (jrccd  ,,r(;iiiiizilion— thy  j^ro.ns  valnu  of    tbu  advent 


6 

f     yVhTrd  to  (?'••     Hill  circnnmlatiCL'it  Hooi:  coiiMpirtMl  tlio  whob;  wnbjccl  was  br<)n;{ht  biiforo  r4irliiitnenl 

'  ^/  N(,  di'ivt;  ilicni  into  iin  iiHhociution  of  capital  and  and  resulted  in  ii  coinproniiHU  by  wbicb  tbi<  two 

^Cy'iit'  ill'iirt.     Till'  l'in)(l:hb,  lindini;  ibciii  mort'  dan-  coinpanii'H  wtTn  iiniti-d  iindt-r  tbt' tiiiu  of  "  llo.v- 

I   H   Jf-ToiiM  rivals  tlian  ilu;  Fronch  bad  bufii,  bi'caniu  ouAiii.K    IIimiskn'h  15av  C'oMi'Asy,"  iimeo  wbicb 

/  (.iiddfily  (■on.>cioiis  ol  tliL- dan},'iT  of  Iohiiik   the  tiinu  tbu  only   coinpt'titioii  met    witb  La.^  come 

Jm       be,-.t  portion  of  the  tr.ide  of  wbii'b  tbey    bad   cx-  ir,,ni  the  Atiicrican  liir  (!onii):iny,  whose  operii- 

tO      peeled  to  enjoy  the  entire  monopoly,  uud   coin-  i,„„„  1,^.^.  i^,.,,„   (;„i,ducted  Houtb  of  tbu  purtillel 

VrjNninced  [inobinj;  out  tbeir  posts  lo  tbu  south  uiid  „(  4.,  X,„ih  bilitude. 

In;  wrMt,  fcjllowiii;;  but  never  leading;  the  Scotch  1<[^^,  |||ii>riiiiiide  of  tbu  operations  of  these  two 
(/'anudiuiiB  into  whatever  portion  ol  ibe  country  companies  was  eiiorinoiis.  I''ruui  11  work  en- 
tile latter  ventured  to  penetrate.  The  contest  tiilfd  Muekenzie'sVoyuj^cs,  published  in  I-ondon 
was  an  iiiiKiuai  one.     On  one  side  stood  a  pow-  j„   1^1,]^  „.^.  ii,,,,.„    soinethintJ  of  the  business  of 

pvriud 

fter  its 

^    V    imperious  masters  dictated,  with    11  jfreat  (,'reed  ,,r(;iiiiiz  ition— the  j{ross  value  of    tbu  iidventuro 

.    f    'S'or    jjaiii,    viewing    the  whole   country  us  le;;it-  ,,f  11,^  y^^r  anK.unicd    lo   liiou.ijoo.     In  17'J5   it 

^^__  f  iuiattly  iind  lexiilly  tbeir  peculiiir  donuiiu,  und  imj  reached  more  than  jjhUhj.uih",  and  afterwards 

from  which  they  would  be  justified  in  expelliii);  ^  f,till  liirf;er  sum.     lu  readinjf   this   boi-k  I  wa.1 

v'lk    ti    all  intruders  ;  on  the  other,  a   tew    individuals,  forcibly  reminded  of  the  wonderful  improvement 

nJ  »%  with  separate  interests,  without  concert  of  actiun'j,,  fucilitieaof  transit,  both  in  mivijjulion  and  land 

or  conibiinilioii  of  ellort,  with    no  civil   law   to  (.nrri,i|,j.^  y^.j, id,  i);iyy  ^oun.  into  ijeneral  use  since 

back  them,  or  comiiel  restitution  when  force  and  ,i  y/^^^  wrilten.     Here  is  an  exampU  of  the  slow 

injustice  bad  deprived  them  of  their  rights.    To  process  of  that  day  : 

make  the  situutior.  of  the   latter  still   \vor,se,  u      The  agents  of  the  company   stationed  ia  the 

I  ^  «  freipient  recurrence  of  rivalry   and   competition  Xurthwest  sent  tbeir  orders  for  goods  to  Mon- 

lM   >|  took    place    among  themselves,  whereby   they  treal  in  October.     These  orders  were  forwarded 

!^    •!   were  less  able  to  meet  the  systematic  attempt  of  to  London,  and  the  goods  were  shipped  the  next 

their  organized  rivals  to    drive  ihein   from   the  spring,  arriving  at  Moutrealin  the  summer.     In 

country.  course  of  the  following  winter  they  were  made  up 

/V     I     These    circumstances  were    instrumental   in  into  such  articles  as  were  wanted  for  the  Indians; 

y  ^originating  a  powerful  organization   in  Canada,  ih^y  were  then  put    up  into  packages  of   ninety 

15    •  under  the  style  of  the  NouTHWKST  Coiii'axv,  i"  pounds  each,  and  shipped  from   Montreal    in 

\J^  4  the  winter  of  178-'5-4.     From  that  date  down  to  canoes  in  the  month  of  May.     The  canoes  thus 

^J    J,   IS'Jl— a  period  of  nearly  half  a  century— a  com- loaded  proceeded   up  the  Ottawa   River,  crossed 

►    A  mercial   rivalry,  fiercer  perhaps   than  any  that  over  to  Lake  Nipissing,  descended  French  River 

^  ^5  has  ever  been  witnessed  in  civilized   communi-  into  Lake  Huron,    then  up  the  St.   Mary's  River, 

<1  ^  ties,  animated  the  two  companies,  and  whereso-  ;,nd  coasting  around  Lake  Superior  arrived  at 

ever,  throughout  the   Northwestern   wilderness,  Grand  I'ortage,  near  the  bead  of  the  lake.   Thence 

these  two  parties  made  their  appearance,   there  ti,ey  were  conveyed  by  way  of  the  Kaministique 

human  ingenuity,  a  native  shrewdness  rendered  liivor,  Lake  La  I'luie,   or  Rainy  Lake.and  Rainy 

ireternaturally  acute  by  the  emergencies  of  time  1^]^  Kiver,  Lake  of  the  Woods,  Lake  Winnipeg, 

""^  %  and   place,  an   individual   courage   nurtured  by  iim  Saskatchewan    River,  and   bo  on  across  to 

•■^^  coitstaiit  familiarity  with   danger,  were  all  em-  (Jreat  Slave  Lake,    the  Athabasca  country  and 

,  iJfc   >  ployed  in  carrying  forward  the  plans  of  the  one  the  Rocky  Mountains,   arriving  at  their  destiua- 

and  in  thwarting  those  of  the  other,  with  but  tion  early  in  the  winter,  just  two  years  after  the 

little  reference  to  the  iigencies  made  use  of  to  ac-  order  had  been  sent  for  them.   That  winter  these 

coraplish  the  object.     Time  will  not  permit  me  goods  were  exchanged  for  furs  and  peltries,  which 

')i/Tto    give    cveu    an    outline    of   this    prolonged  were    sent  off  the  ensuing  spring,   arriving  at 

j|  4  contest.     Let  it    .suflice  on    this   head    to    sax,  Montreal   in   the  fall.     From   thence  tbey  were 

9^4  that    after     a      sanguinary      battle      between  sent  to  Europe  and  sold,  and  the  returns  received 

^Jl  the  servants  of  the  two  companies,  at  the  settle- at  Montreal  the   following  June— just  forty-two 

J    \  ment  of  Lord  Selkirk,  on  the  Red  River  of  the  months  after  the  goods   were  ordered,  thirty-six 


■4 


^" 


North — an  engagement  in  wbicb  the  CJovernor  months  after  they  had  been  shipped  from  England 
of  the  Colony,  Mr.  Semple,  and  seventeen  of  bis  and  twenty  four  months  after  they  had  been  for- 
Hjllowers  Were  killed  and  tl.o  remainder  put  to  warded  from  Montreal.  The  world  hati  moved 
Higbt  by  the  Norwesterna— and  after  Lord  Sel-  forward  some  since  that  period,  and  it  is  easy  to 
kirk,  by  way  of  retaliation,  bad  captured  Fort  see  how  a  "nimble  sixpence"  of  the  present 
William,  the  principal  depot  of  the  Northwest-! day,  when  an  enterprising  trader  may  turn  over 
ern  Company   near  the  bead  of  Lake  Superior,  his  capital  five  or  six  times  in  twelve  months,  is 


inoro   |ir<)(lucti»i'  lli m   llf   "  i.l"W  rfhillin),'     ot  rctiinis  iiiul  a  i^rnull  iiiurifin  for  profitrt."    Therrt 
tlml  tiino.  "^ '"  ''"  '''^'^  iloubl  but  Hi  kt  lli«  milu  rt'iLtoii    why 

Tlia  Hii.l*itu  11  ly  OimipiUiy'H  iiperatioiiM  were  iho  comjuny  muintiiins  itH  iicmtn  in  Oregon  ami 
conducted  on  a  Hcale  of  himil.ir  iiiijjnitiKlo  h>  \Vus!iinj;toii  is  to  indiico  brnthi-r  .lotiattiin  to 
that  of  its  i(r.'at  riv.il.  ItH  supplies  howuver,  "sliell  out "  liberally  tor  tti.-m.  Mvownopin- 
wero  received  from  lluropo  by  w.iv  of  iludnon'ti  ion  i«,  that  brother  .lonathaii  will  let  the  com- 
Hay,  and  its  furs  were  Bbipi)ed  by  the  name  p:iny  hold  these  [losts  until  it  voluntarily  abii'- 
cour.se.  Slarliiijr  from  its  foriH  on  tins  great  es-  dons  thorn,  unless,  indeed,  it  will  sell  alonx  with 
tuary,  the  company's  servants  penetrated  the  them  tho  orijfinal  charter  to  I'rinee  ittipert 
same  region  of  country  already  spoken  of  Hi|.I'>natlian  would  undoubtedly  "come  rlown  " 
occupied  by  tho  Northwestern.  If  the  luttei  ,hamlsomely  for  that,  without  stopping  to  scru- 
pioneercd  the  way  in  every  instance,  tho  former 
presHwd  hard  upon  tliiir  footsteps,  nor  bit  them 
for  any  considerable  time  in  the  undisputed  en- 
joyment of  tho  trade  of  new  regions.  Thus, 
from  the  great  LakiM  on  the  east  t((  I'uget't^ 
Sound  and  the  Russian  I'osscssions  on  tho  west, 

and  from  the  regions  of  tho  Ks.|uimaux  on  thelj^y. "  u  js  probable  that  two  thousand  would  be 
north  to  the  (Julf  of  California  at  tho  south,  bavel  ^  \■^^^^J^^^  estimate  for  this  class.  To  their  cbar- 
tho  agents  of  these  companies  traversed  the  ^^^4,,^  ,^,^1  mode  of  life  1  have  already  made  inci- 
country  in  every  direction- crossing  the  conti-ij^.„t,ilullusion  in  speaking  of  the  (verations  of 
nent  with  a  lleet  of  bark  canoes  ladm^with  ii,„  ^.„„,|,,jni^.j,_  Time  will  not  permit  me  to  say 
goods  for  the  Indians  or  with  furs  for  llurope—  („„re  on  that  head 
making,   with  few  and   short  portages,  the  en 


tinize  very  closely  its  legality. 

IXIIAUITA.NTS  OV  TUB  COl  .STIIV. 

I  eoiiie  lU'Xt  to  speak  of  tho  jiopulatinn  of  Iht) 
country  uiuler  consideratioi'.  And  hrst,  um 
to  the  number  of  whites  employed  by  tho  fur 
icompanies  who  reside  permanently  in  the  coun- 


tire  distance  from  Pugel's  Sound  to  .Montreal,  or 
to  Hudson's  Hay,  through  a  connected  chain  of 
rivers  and  lakes— on  every  water  course  with- 
in the  boundaries  designated,  on  every  Indian 
trail,  in  every  mountain  gorge,  on  every  plain, 
and  in. every  forest,  have  the  servants  of  these 
two  companies  appeared,  stopping  wherever  the 
ascending  smoku  marked  the  presence  of  the  na- 
tives, and  bartering  tho  products  of  European 
looms — the  scarlet  cloth,  the  Haunting  print  and 
ribbon,  tho  tinselled  ornaments  and  Ilashing  gew- 
gaw, 80  attractive  to  barbaric  life— for  the  rich 
furs  of  tho  north,  destined  in  their  turn  to 
minister  no  less  to  the  vanity  of  those  who 
dwell  in  the  centres  of  civilization 


In  tho  next  place,  wherever  tho  various  com- 
panies have  established  trading  posts,  a  portion 
if  their  strvants  have  intermarried  with  the  In- 
dian tribes.  1  have  no  satisfactory  data  by  which 
to  estimate  the  entiro  population  of  mixed  blood. 
When  Schoolcraft  was  sent  out  by  tho  (Jovern- 
ment  in  l-'vJ,  to  visit  the  tribes  inhabiting  the 
country  around  Luke  Superior  and  on  the  head 
waters  of  the  .Mississippi,  he  found  in  those  lo- 
calities a  total  Indian  j)opulation  of  14,iiiio,  of 
ivhom  l,.'J.')-3  were  of  mixed  blood,  or  a  little 
more  than  one-tenth  of  tho  whole  number.  Fur 
ther  out  in  tho  interior  the  proportion  is  not 
nearly  so  great,  though  this  class  is  to  be 
found  in    considerable  number  throughout  iha 


„  .,..,.,        ,  .-       J      1     ■  1     whole  area  covered  by  the  posts  of  the  traders 

Connected  with  these  long-continued  and  wide-  ■'         '^ 


ly  extended  operations  are  incidents  of  romance, 
of  courage  and  of  daring,  of  endurance  almost 
Buperhutnan,  of  deeds  of  blood  fit  to  appal  the 
stoutest  heart.  All  these  nro  to  be  gathered  up 
and  embalmed  in  history,  but  the  time  is  not  yet. 
Some  of  them  I  had  thought  to  present  in  my 
present  discourse,  but  tho  subject  has  .so  grown 
upon  my  hands  that  I  cannot. 

The  matter  of  the  Hudson  Hay  Company  pos- 
sesses a  special  interest  just  now  from  the  fact 
that  President  Pierce  in  his  recent  Message  ad- 
vises the  purchase  of  its  rights  and  property  in 
Oregon  and  Washington  Territories.  It  is  un- 
derstood that  the  company  is  anxious  to  sell. 
Its  trade  in  furs  is  nearly  closed  in  those  Terri- 
tories, and  in  the  limited  mercantile  operations 
which  it  conducts  there,  whether  in  furs  or  other 
commodities,  it  comes  in  direct  competition  with 
the  inevitable  Yankee,   whose  motto  is  "  quick 


The  Indians  of  the  country  are  divided  into 
many  tribes,  and  are  mainly  comprised  in  the 
following  : 

The  Ojibways,  the  Hioux  or  Dacotahs,  the 
Muskecgoose,  the  Crees,  the  Knisteneaux,  the  As- 
siniboins,  the  Piegan.s,  the  Surcies,  tho  Ulood 
Indians,  the  Blackfeet,  the  Flatheads,  the  Saii- 
tenx,  the  Chepewyan,  the  Heaver,  the  Dog  Rib, 
the  Htrongbow  Indians  and  the  Esquimaux. 
These  numerous  tribes  are  undoubtedly  the  oil' 
shoots  of  about  four  distinct  nations,  or  people, 
and  may  all  be  classified  under  tho  heads  of  the 
Algonquins,  the  Dacotahs,  the  Chepewyan  and 
the  Esquimaux.  1  estimate  their  entire  number 
at  about  one  hundred  thousand  souls.  It  should 
be  remembered  that  the  Indian  population  of  tho 
included  region  was  formerly  much  greater  thau 
now.  Various  causes  have  contributed  to  a  dim- 
inution of  their  number.    First,  the  perpetual 


s 


M'tto  III  \Mir  wliicli  i'Xi8t«  bulwii'ii  III. Ill'  i>l  lilt 
tribi"*.  Ht'C'iinlIj,  thu  intri)(lii(;li<iti  nf  unk'tif 
H|iir>tn  liy  ilii>  Cur  L'iiiii|i;iiiii'ii ;  lor  luitv.itti-i.iinl- 
iii;;  ill"  iii(,Mii  0  liiw  iil'li'iili  ilu!  llmUiiii  it  ly  iii.'l 
ilic  Nortliwi'itturn  Cuinpiinivit  |iriiliiliilLil  tiullu! 
Ill  lii'itnit  H|<iritr>,  iiiiil  Miittvillist.iiuliii^'  ilii<  Aiikt- 
iciiii  i-'iir  ('iiiii|iiiiiy  u'li.-i  |iriiliiljiir<l  liy  (<|n'(i'>l 
lift.  Ill  r>iii);rcitM  li'iiiii  Hulling  nr  );iviti;;  it  in  tln' 
liiiliaiiH,  Hill!  till'  liurco  rivalry  oxistin;;  lu'twcni 
llii'M"  (:iiiii|i.iiiii's,  ciiiiiltiiU'il  witli  ill)'  kiKHvii  I'.ict 
tliittliu  Indians  wiiiilil  tradu  with  llnit  jiarty 
wliicli  Wiiiiid  liiriiinli  tiiciii  tin;  iiin.st  riiiii,  k'd  tn 
an  niM'ii  and  ti!iaiiii.'li"is  <liMri';;ird  (it"llu'  law,  iiii'! 
witli  tlio  dire-st  rt'Mlitt^  tu  thi^  llnlian:'-.  ISllI 
ilii;  I'liiid  iij^t'iicy  by  wliidi  ilp'si-  trilics  Inivi.'  bt'cii 
••III  down  to  u  iiii.Ti)  lillii!  Ill'  their  orijjiiiul  miinhor 
iviis  tin-  Mimll-jiiix,  iiitnidiici'd  iiiikiiij;  llu'iii  hy 
tlifir  inii-ruMiurrte  with  tlu;  tnidtTH.  Thu  dill'or- 
•  nt  iiiithiirH  which  1  have  ixaiiiincd  iipun  tlic 
Kiiojt'Cl  an- ut  11  loss  I'lif  ]aiis;iia;,'o  to  di-jnct  llif 
fri'i'iii's  (if  hiirror,  nl  dcva.slatioii -the  ulu.T  uii- 
iiiliihiliiii)  of  whulu  laiinlii'!!,  iiiid  HotiiutinieH  of 
liihi'.s— which  ruijiiwi-'l  niioii  the  lircakinjr  out  <'l 
this  disease  iiiiiiHi;;- the  Indians.  On  it*  uiijii  ir- 
luice  aiiioii);  Muinu  ijaiui.-',  ii  ;;eneral  di.-iicr.i'ii'ii 
would  lake  |ilaee,  and  the  diSia^e  would  lliU.s  lu- 
tipn  ad  to  iieijihboriii;;  band;..  Others  rciiiaiiieii 
moodily  where  thu  ili.sease  lirsl  iitlacked  them, 
uwailiii^  with  Indian  comiioMure  and  sloiciiiin  ii 
fate  vvhifh  tiiey  re^tarded  as  inevitable.  And 
Miill  oilierf,  hhriiikinjj  troni  the  liarliil  ti^j  iiy  ot 
ilie  di-seas^e,  iiiion  ii.s  ^lr^t  iiiipeariince  in  their 
!od<;ef<,  would  eill  tiu'ir  lamJie:^  aroiiiid  thi'in, 
uiid  exhort  their  woiiion  and  cluldnMi  in  iivoii!  it 
by  a  f'-'il-iiillicUd  deaili--tlie  hand  of  tlie  hti.v 
bi.nd  and  lather  coininjj  to  tho  a-^sif^t  nice  of  IIum 
« ii<i  lalteri'd,  iil'li;!'  wiiicli  he  would  clotie  tlie 
.scene  by  iiuttiii);  an  tiid  to  lii.-^  own  life.  Such 
,ire  .-ioine  of  the  accouut.i  we  have  of  the  et^cct^ 
of  this  terrible  inuludy  ainon^  ilie  ^drthw^^terll 
I  ndianr>. 

.\ti  to  the  moral  and  iiiciilal  coiuiiiiou  ot'  ihc-ie 
inbcs  but  littli!  cuu  bo  said  tliai  would  bu  iiIcils- 
.ml  to  hear.  It  was  (nirt  of  the  ]iolicy  of  the 
r'reiich  traders  tu  establish  inis.sioiis  iiiiion^  all 
ihc  tribes  with  which  they  traded.  Sucii  iiiis- 
'.sions  were  idanted  at  the  Saut  St.  .Mary,  at  l,a- 
poiute,  at  Grand  rortajfe,  and  as  far  west  as  the 
l.aku  of  the  Woods,  alino.st  two  centuries  ajjo, 
aiid  were  maintained  up  to  the  cession  of  (.'anud; 
ill  ITiiu.  lUil  when  thu  Scotch  traders  went  into 
the  country  three  years  afterwards,  with  the  ex- 
ceiitioii  ot  some  old  I'Vetich  trapjiers  who  liad 
married  Itidiaii  wives  and  stiil  remaiued,  they 
found  no  one  who  appeared  to  have  the  sligiht- 
est  idea  of  Christianity.  The  Hudson  15ay  Com- 
pany has  generally  kept  up  the  forms  id'  the 
Christian  religion  at  its  iiriucipal  trading  posts  ; 
and  in  Hiuiie   instances  has  maintained  schools 


chiclly  lor  the  bi'iirlit  ol  the  taiiiiliis  ol  its  bci 
viititK,  but  liicidenlally  relijjiou*  ami  iither  in. 
ilriiction  liis  bven  ^ir.iiiiiiiu.ily  •  Hired  to  the 
native.-.  l!i|!  Ihr  au;  out  its  vimt  dojiait:,  i«i 
t'arai  man  may  ,judp',  lo.  <u  tll'ort.x  to  Cliriiiti.tn- 
i/.*i  lui  iiiicirili/.i'd  jiei'piti  remain  to  this  day 
witlioiit  Iriiif  xcept  in  two  or  three  iiihiaticiri 
ill  wli'.cii  ii;rriciiltiiri*  and  mniu  othur  purHuitH  ot 
civilized  life  have  been  t.iuvrht  tlitiii  ulio.  Thu 
.\iiieri(iin  Fur  CoinpiiHy,  I  believe,  has  lu-ver 
iiiudm  miri.-^ioiiary  laborii  ii  part  of  it«  nbjeciM. 
The  Vuiikee  traders  were  faiiions  ainoiijf  thu  In- 
dians for  iiii.vin,:  their  nun  with  wat'T— but  I 
believo  llu'y  have  never  ^l■cllred  much  of  a  ripu» 
tatldii,  either  in  the  Woods  or  among  civili/ed 
people,  fur  mixing  bii.tiiii,-.*  with  religion.  When 
the  ^■ankoe  tr..des,  he  trades,  and  tradeH,  too, 
mainly  to  his  own  advautage  ;  when  hu  preaches 
hu  jireaclii  s.  Vet  American  missionaries  have 
followed  clo.^e  upon  the  footsteps  of  the  Aiiieri- 
can  Fur  Company,  and  wliilu  they  have  accom- 
plished more  than  their  I'riiich  and  Knglisli  pre- 
decessor.", still  it  is  painfully  apparent  that  mis. 
Bioiiary  ellort  auiong  these  iionherii  Indiana  is 
u  Sysiphian  labor. 

There  is  one  remarkable  in.it  uice,  however,  in 
which  these  l.ibors  have  been  crowned  with  sue- 
cesd.  This  in  a  settlement  of  about  livu  hundred 
Cret;  Indians,  oii  the  Rid  Kiver  of  the  .North,  .i 
short  distance  below  the  Selkirk  Colony.  Havid 
Dale  Owen,  the  eminent  (jeulogist,  visited  this 
settlenieiit  (d'  Indians  in  l>h,  and  I  have  cojiied 
t'roni  his  otlici.il  roj-ort  to  (Jovernmont  the  fol- 
lowing account  of  them ; 

"Taty  ftro  (l"e'.ilccU,v  tJK' iiKLit  eUili/.i-'d  Irilio  wfileli  I 
havo.ii.'en  or  lioiinl  of  in  tlit;  North.  Tla-y  i.e.pp(iri 
ili'Miistlves  inainl.v  liy  thu  proiluee  of  their  f.iriDs  which 
ilay  eullivatiMvitli  tnelr  iwn  haiiMJ.  Thi-y  dwell  in 
ooia'Drlahlc  .MinarnlIoK  bmhliiiKS.  erocteil.  thatched 
and  whilewaih.  d  liy  theinst^lvi's.  Tiny  are  aoquaiuted 
with  the  use  of  the  aimii  e  t'armln>;  utinsila.  and  tie-- 
iiu'clii\iiii;id  (d"-ratinri.-i  n'TUfsary  to  keep  their  farni.s 
and  homes  in  order.  Kaih  faiaily  eultivatea  from  live 
to  ten  ai'ie.s  (if  laud  which  i.s  lupt  well  fenced.  They 
mow  their  own  hay,  and  fold  their  cutllo  on  it  in  win- 
ter. A  lew  oeciiiDnnily  hunt  (lurinif  a  month  or  more 
in  the  sumnur  wli»/n  their  crop i  do  not  roMuire  miuli 
attention,  lait  this  ii  more  f(ir  reereation  than  .^uppori. 
,  "  The  reiimrkalile  ehaiiKO  in  the  msnuera  and  enstoniM 
nf  these  pe(>ple  h:is  heen  wroiiKht  mainly  ihrouKJi  the 
'lores  of  exumpU,  hy  >Ir.  Smilluu-st,  who  reside.-s  amonn 
Uhem  as  Nli.ssionary.  That  Krriilenian  U  remarkable 
for  his  love  of  order  and  arrauKemerit,  and  is  devoted 
10  AKrieiiUure  and  IlortieuUure.  '.iis  house  is  situated 
;  n  the  midst  of  a  delightful  llow.rKarden,  kept  in  ticaii- 
'  li'ul  order,  wilh  llourishiiiK  Ii  .ids  of»,'rain  and  meadows 
in  the  rear.  The  Indians  ImvlnK  continually  tiefori' 
their  eye.s  so  pleasiiiK  and  praetioal  an  exami>le  of  the 
'.•omfortsof  eivili/.'d  life,  as  well  a»  an  illustration  of 
;he  nil  ana  by  which  Ihty  may  he  enabled  to  provide  a 
support  far  more  stable  and  eerlain  than  thai  derived 
from  the  chase,  liaveKradualiy  fallen  into  the  habits  of 
their  Instructor,  and  by  ihxrtes  have  nathered  around 
their  permanent  homes,  the  implements  and  appur- 
I  ;nanees.  and  even  some  of  ilie  comfort»  and  luxuries. 


i 


9 


lielonitlriB  (0  lUe  ,"'l»l>llifimpnt  of  ih>-  thrifty  furniff. 

tliMiii'iliiu'ii  llivy  Hii- m "liil  iiiiiifiiiiiiiiDiiily  l.y  lliv  r 

MfKlilxirn,    the  (,'hli)i"w»'<.  ami  rlMiiMlr.l  j(«    ",,iii', 
Viiriiiit"  iiIkI  "(/ (•«/■«  ,'•  Imt  tln'y  nnw  fliift  upon  llifiii  ; 
"  Wi»it  nil  till-  winter  Hff't  III,  mil  ilicn  yon  will  i''iiiii?  tn 
lit,   hi-KUiiri   for  uiir  rcfu^^  putatut-t  »iii|  itiilliri'rtut 

prM." 

TIIK    CiifNTIir. 

I'liKMiti^  fruiii  tliu  |iii|iiiluiiiiii,  li't  uit  ciiiiHidur 
iiinv  tliu  ciiiiiitry  itxL'lr',  And  herviii  iiru  wi\  ui> 
citizi'im  of'  (;iiJLM^{((,  (li'i'|ily  intcri'iiied.  V'>t  if 
llirre  bo  to  ihu  Nurihward  und  \V\'i»tWMr(l  <•(  ii.* 
u  uduiitry  Citpiiblu  u(  Mii»tiiiniii(;  liir^e  und  llniir- 
ixhiii^  voiiiiiiuiiitii'rt,  wIii'IIrt  iif  a^'rlc'ulluri>ti<, 
iiiiiKT.s  IIP  iiiiiiiiir.icturi'r.'',  llmHe  cuiiimuiiitiih 
iiitiMt  t'oruVL-r  liiild  n-latimis  id'  thu  iiiiiBt  intiiiiiiti- 
chiiiMctiT  witliiirt.  N.ituri',  hy  Uif  iiiUTpmiitiDn 
iiC  tliu  KPciit  cliiiiti  of  laki'S  wliich  HirutcliU!* 
Niiriliwiird  of  uh  tlimujfh  Meveii  dojfrt'eB  of  luti- 
tndf  und  to  wiihJii  two  d>');ri'fH  of  tlio  Moiitli>Tii 
liiiiils  of  lliiil;<i)ii*s  It.iy,  h:i.s  iii.uk'  our  city  thf 
iiiuvitublu  ^fiituWiiy  to  and  Irniii  this  country. 
Siliiatcd  as  it  Ih  iiiioii  tlit-  hi-ad  wiili-rs  of  llic 
(jult  of  St.  L;iwn.'iici,',  und  wilhiii  utrlkiiijj 
(liHtance  of  thu  nuvi>;  iblu  waters  fallini;  into  the 
(iulf  of  Mt;.xicii,  und  having;  both  railway  and 
water  cotiiniunicatiiiu  with  the  hitter,  C'hicu^jo 
holds  a  position  which  enables  Ler  to  collect 
within  her  storehouses  the  jirodiicts  of  all  the 
•ioiies,  and  here  they  will  meet  and  be  exehaimid 
for  whatever  Nature,  Industry  and  Art  uiay  pro- 
duce in  the  hij^lRr  latitudes  above  us.  U  be- 
comes a  subject  therefore  of  no  little  intirest,  to 
understand  what  this  country  holds  in  store  for 
its  future  occupants,  and  what  inducenients  it 
presents  to  secure  eurly  settlement.  In  con- 
sideriujf  the  mutter  of  soil,  climate,  water,  min- 
erals, kc,  I  think  I  shall  be  able  to  dispel  some 
erroneous  impressions  that  prevail  respectiiijj  it, 
as  well  as  to  present  some  facts  and  cousideru- 
lions  not  generally  known  to  the  public. 

I.AKKS   ANII    WATKU-COLHSKS. 

Ono  of  the  most  notable  features  of  the  coun- 
try under  consideration  is  the  great  multiplicity 
of  lakes  and  water-courses  with  which  it  is  fur- 
nished. It  contains  within  il  the  water-sheds 
I'rom  which  nearly  all  the  great  river  systems  ot 
the  continent,  west  of  those  which  How  Iroin  the 
slopes  of  the  AUeghanies,  derive  their  sources,  i 
If  wo  make  the  western  CA'treme  of  Lake  Supe-' 
rior  our  starting  iioint  for  a  general  view  under 
this  head,  we  shall  liud,  after  passing  westward 
u  short  distance,  a  grand  water-shed  comi)rising 
iruiny  hundred  Kijuare  miles  of  area  in  which 
the  following  rivers,  beside  several  others,  have 
their  sources.  First,  the  St.  Louis  Uiver  flow- 
ing into  Lake  Superior  and  seeking  an  outlet  to 
the  ocean  through  the  River  and  Gulf  of  St.  Law- 
rence. This  stream  may  in  fact  be  regarded  as 
the  head  waters  of  the  St.  Lawrence.    Secondly, 


the  .Mii*itliiMip]ii  and  a  large  number  of  itii  tribu> 
iirieK,  Kuch  III*  the  Chipfieway,  the  Crow-SVmg, 
thu  MinnHHotii,  the  St.  Crux  and  oihi'm  -  fl<iwiii|; 
into  the  (iulf  of  Mexico.  Tliirdly,  the  Ktd 
Hirer  of  the  North  and  its  tribiititrieH,  flowing 
into  Luke  NVimp'g,  wlmh  like  disehiirgeM 
tlifiiUk'h  tlie  Nelson  and  .Severn  Kivers  into  Iliid- 
ton'ii  Hay.  This  grand  water-shed,  unlike  all 
otherii  on  thu  continent  which  give  rise  to  im> 
portaiit  river  systems,  in  retnarkahlo  for  being 
situated  upon  u  vast  plateau,  instead  of  occupy- 
ing u  mountainous  region.  The  HourceM  id' ull 
the  rivers  which  I  li:ive  naiiied  are  reached  by  h 
gentle  ascent  just  sulllcieut  to  promote  drain- 
ugu  of  thu  country  and  nlart  thu  nevrral  Hlreaiim 
upon  ihiir  long  journey. 

Proceeding  westward  on  nearly  the  H»me  par- 
allel of  latitude  wo  coino  upon  another  grand 
water  shed  Mtuiited  among  the  inountnins, 
Kroin  the  peaks  and  spurs  of  the  Kocky,  the 
CiL'ur  d'Alenu  und  the  CuHcade  Mountains  trickle 
down  a  thousand  little  rivulets  which,  CDllecting 
themselves  in  tlie  deep  gorges  and  canons,  and 
receiving  constant  accessions  to  their  volume, 
after  much  apparent  fretting  .ni  foaming  in 
surmounting  the  rocky  barruTs  piled  in  their  way, 
emerge  finally  upon  the  plains —somu  on  the  thith- 
er, some  on  the  hither  side  of  the  mountains 
11  half  dozen  or  more  grand  rivers,  running 
in  us  many  diflerent  directions.  On  the  North- 
ern confines  of  this  water-shed  the  Columbia, 
thu  Frazier  and  the  Athabasca  Kivers  have 
their  sources,  the  two  former  discharging  into 
the  Tucilic,  und  thu  latter  into  Slavu  Lake,  which 
lakt'  has  its  outlet  in  the  Arctic  Ocean  through 
Macken/.ie's  Uiver.  A  little  further  south  the 
.Saskatchewan  Uiver,  which  discharges  through 
Lake  Winipeg  into  Hudson  Bay,  takes  its  rise. 
Still  further  southward  the  MisAuuri,  with  its 
principal  tributary,  the  Yellow  Stone,  and  the 
llio  Colorado— the  former  flowing  into  the  (Iulf 
of  Mexico,  the  latter  into  the  Gulf  of  Californiu, 
collect  their  head  waters. 

The  concurrency  of  these  two  great  water- 
sheds, with  several  others  of  u  minor  character, 
from  which  descend  the  chief  rivers  of  the  con- 
tinent in  every  direction  to  thu  ocean,  within 
the  territory  under  consideration,  most  admira- 
bly fitted  it  for  the  operations  of  the  powerful 
companies  which  have  so  long  occupied  it.  Hy 
means  of  the  ten  thousand  lakes,  which  occupy 
the  first  plateau,  and  which,  in  fact,  are  scatter- 
ed freely  all  over  the  Northern  portion  of  the 
continent  that  is  not  mountainous— by  means  of 
the  great  rivers  of  the  two  systems  and  their  in- 
numerable tributaries  interlocking  with  each 
other  on  the  plains  and  among  the  mountains, 
breaking  down  the  barriers  of  the  the  latter  into 
an  easy  open  pathway,  a  t'aousand  lines  of  water 


0 


coiiiinunicalioii  suitable  for  canoe  niivipfdlion  l(|uite,  rqiial  diincnHiona  cf  Lnke  Mi(;liij;iiii?  it 
wiia  opened  from  tlie  principal  ira(liii}^iii)sl«  with  is  no  iiii|)eachnieiil  ol'  their  (general  iiitdli^enco 
every  portion  (if  the  coiiiilry.  t)ecasiun.illy  the  l(»  sniijiose  most  of  theni  are  not,  V>'t  ^uoli  a 
bri^nide  of  canoes  would  come  to  un  impassable  lake  has  an  exi.steiiee.  Fkancuk'if,  wlio.^i'  nar- 
rui»id  or  waterfall ;  but  the  hardy  voyujjeurs  re-  rative  of  a  trip  from  the  iiuiiith  of  the  Columbia 
jjarded  such  an  obstruction  of  but  small  mo-  liiver  to  Mouireal,  in  l-'l'f,  possesses  nmch  inter- 
ment. The  floods  or  furs  constituting  the  ciirKo  est,  says  of  J/uke  Winipei; -the  lake  to  which 
were  made  up  in  packajjes  of  ninety  pounds  each,  I  allude — that  "  it  visibly  yields  in  extent  only  to 
from  three  to  six  of  which,  in  jiroportion  to  theiLake  Superior  and  the  i^reat  Slave  Lake."  Its 
length  of  the  portage,  were  usually  a  load  for  a  southern  extreme  is  on  the  parallel  of  .01°.  Jjih' 
single  person  ;  taking  this  load  upon  their  backs,  |"/'  tin:  \V<j(>ii-<  is  also  a  large  body  of  water,  being 
confining  it  therewith  a  broad  strap  brought  nearly  half  the  size  of  Jiake  Ontario.  It  receives 
forward  and  jiassed  over  the  forehead,  detailing  its  name  from  the  large  number  of  islands  within 
two  to  share  the  burden  of  each  canoe,  they  it,  which  are  covered  with  a  luxuriant  growth 
would  move  oil"  on  a  free  lope,  rarely  slack-iof  forest  trees.  It  forms  ]iart  of  the  boundary 
ening  their  pace  until  arrived  ut  the  jjointjline  between  ilu  United  States  and  the  liritish 
of  reembarking.  In  the  same  manner  portages  possessions.  Without  attempting  to  jjarticular- 
were  made  from  the  head  waters  of  one  stream  ize  further,  let  me  close  this  branch  of  the  sub, 
to  the  nearest  point  on  those  of  another — contin- ject  by  saying,  tliiit  the  region  of  country  em- 
uing  onward  by  the  most  direct  route  until  the, braced  between  latitude  luo  north  and  the  (.loth 
proposed  destination  was  gained.  It  is  a  curi-jp«rallel,  and  between  Hudson's  IJay  and  Lake 
0113  fact,  and  one  which  I  presume  is  known  to 'Superior  on  the  east,  and  the  J'acilic  Ocean  on 
but  very  few,  that  there  are  numerous  routes  oljthe  west,  is  better  watered  throughout  .ts  entire 
water  communication,  with  occasional  ])ortagesjextcut  than  any  other  equal  portion  of  the  world, 
from  twenty  yards  toeight  or  ten  miles  in  length,  So  numerous   indeed  are   the  streams  and  lakes 


through  the  country  we  are  considering,  from 
the  Great  Lakes  and  from  Hudson's  Bay  across 
the  continent  to  the  Pacific  Ocean.  Instances 
are  upon  record  in  which  persons  have  passed 
from  Montreal  to  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia 


that,  according  to  Sir  Alexander  Mackenzie,  who 
spent  eight  years  in  that  country  us  Chief  Super- 
intendent of  the  Northwest  Company,  the  i)laee 
was  of  rare  occurrence  from  which  a  person  set- 
ting out  and  ])roceeding  in  a  direct  line  for  eigUi,; 


River,  and  t'K'<?  (v;-,?!;,  with  merchandise  or  with  or  ten  miles  would   not  come  upon  one  or  the 
furs,  making  the  entire  distance  in  the  same'other. 

bark  canoe.  j     These  streams  and  lakes  abound  in  fish  of  the 

Some  of  these  rivers  are  navigable  for  a  much  finest  quality,  lioth  the  Indians  and  the  Fur- 
more  pretending  class  of  boats  than  the  bark  i Traders  rely  much  upon  them  for  the  means  of 
canoe  of  the  Fur  traders.  The  Minnesota,  the  subsistence.  It  is  a  singular  fact,  that  all  the 
St.  Croix,  the  Crow  Wing  and  the  Blue  Earth,  great  sea-fisheries  are  in  the  North.  Not  that 
tributaries  of  the  Mississippi,  have  all,  I  believe,  j  fish  are  not  abundant  within  the  tropics,  but  be- 
had   their   capacity   for    steamboat    navigation  ^cause  those  taken  in  high  latitudes,  or  in  the  cold 


tested.  The  lied  lliver  of  the  North  is  capable 
of  steamboat  navigation  for  four  hundred  miles. 
So   the    Saskatchewan,    the    Assinniboin,    the 


cuireiits  which  sweep  down  from  thePoles  toward 
the  Equator,  are  far  superior  in  (juality  to  the 
Bsh  of  the  tropics  or  those  found  in  the  thermal 


Athabasca,   the   Mackenzie,    and   perhaps  othcr|Currents  setting  Northward.    Lieutenant  Maury, 


rivers  of  which  1  have  not  the  data  to  warrant 
me  in  speaking  definitely,  have  likewise  a  suf- 
ficient depth  of  water  for  steamboat  navigation. 
Jn  some  of  these   water-courses  a  great  many 


in  his  Physical  Geography  of  the  Sea,  gives 
numerous  illustrations  of  this  fact.  The  same 
conditions  appear  to  govern  the  quality  of  the 
lish  in  our  Northwestern  lakes.     The   Mackinaw 


rapids,   and    sometimes  considerable  cataractsj  trout  are  famous   for   their  fine   quality  beyond 


occur,  suggestive  of  the  manufacturing  establish- 
ments that  will  sooner  or  later  derive  from  them 
the  motive  power  to  propel  their  machinery. 
Many  of  the  lakes  are  also  navigable,  some  of 
them  for  the  larger  class  of  vessels.  We  not  un- 
fre()uently  find  mention  of  those  which  are 
from  ten  to  thirty  miles  in  extent.  There  are 
two  of  very  remarkable  size.  Are  my  audience 
prepared  to  hear,  that  not  more  than  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty,  or  three  hundred,  miles  northwest 
of  Lake  Superior  there  is  a  lake  of  nearly,  if  not 


those  taken  from  Lake  Jlichigan  in  the  latitude 
of  Chicago.  The  lish  of  Lake  Huron  are  supe- 
rior to  those  of  either  Lake  Erie  or  Michigan  ; 
while  the  fish  of  Lake  Superitir  are  esteemed  by 
epicures  of  far  more  delicate  flavor  than  those  of 
Lake  Huron.  By  analo^j-,  therefore,  we  should  be 
warranted  in  asserting  the  sujierior  quality  of 
the  fish  which  are  found  in  the  lakes  and  rivers 
of  the  high  northern  latitudes  in  which  the  sub- 
ject of  this  discourse  is  situated  :  while  the  uni- 
form declarations  of  independent  explorers  and 


h  .. 


11 


"l    ^, 


tho 
Fur- 

8   Cif 

the 
that 
t  be- 
cold 
ward 

the 
rnial 
lury, 

same 
f  the 
iinaw 
yond 
titude 
8upe- 
lifriiii ; 
ed  by 
08e  of 
uhi  be 
ity  of 
rivers 
I?  sub- 
e  uni- 
•rt  and 


uf  the  Fur-Traders,  entablish  tho  correctness  of  first  was  to  maintain  a  constant  silence  respecting; 
the  analogy.  it ;  the  other,  ta  spread  reports  prejudicial  to  ii. 

son,.  Kach  of  these  plans  has,  in  its   turn,  been  acted 

l!ut  water,  althon-h  an  essential  element,  does  "P"""  '"^^"'""^  ""  "'^"  kn"«-led-e  that  is  avuila- 
not,  of  itself,  make  a  country  desirable  for  resi-  ^^^  ^^  ^'"''  I*"^'"^  concerninR  the  country  eame 
dence.  Other  considerations,  as,  for  example-  '^'"'"^^  ^'"-"'"  interested  sources.  M(,reover, 
ol  soil,  of  fuel,  of  minerals,  and  .,f  climate,  must  ^''"^  ^^'^  ''"■■  =«""I'-'>>ies  been  inclmed  to  report 
also  be  taken  into  the  account  to  determine  the  ''^^  '="""*''>'  correctly,  the  fact  that  their  line  of 
question.  Hut  before  entering  „pon  these  top-  ^^''"""^  "''^'^  '''""f^  ^'''-'  «-^i<*-'r  courses  and  only  oc- 
ics,  let  us  take  a  brief  survey  of  the  extent  of  su  casionally  passm-  across  small  portions  of  the 
much  of  this  country  as  I  hold  to  be  well  adapted  country,  from  one  stream  to  another,  rendered  h 
to  the  occupation  (,f  a  civilized  people.  Our  own  ''"Possible  for  them  to  obtain  full  and  accurate 
Kovernment,  it  will  be  reinen.bered,  once  claimed  k""«'l«'R«  "»'  it  themselves.  It  is  curious  to  ob- 
np  to  540  K)',  but  (inally  "  backed  down  "  tol'io.  ''*^''^*'>  "''"'  "■'^'''  erroneous  impressions  the  ear- 
On  whatever  side  justice  may  have  been,  I  cannot  '>'  ^XP''"-^''-"  ""^d  first  settlers  of  a  country  form 
help  Ihinkin- that,  had  our  statesmen  entertained  "f"  '*•  ^  ^'^'"•^  well  remember  when  the  opinion 
any  correct  idea  of  the  country  between  the  par-'"'"^  universal  that  the  great  prairies  of  Illinois, 
allels  of  .i;io  and  .'1°  40',  the  subject  wouM  hare  Wisconsin,  Iowa,  and  Northern  Missouri  would 
remained  much  longer  under  discussion,  a..d  our  "c^'^''  '^'^  ^'^"''^'^  ^'^^^  »'"''"  ^^'''P^  of  them, 
present  possessions,  in  all  probability,  would  ex-  '^^'"'"'^  ^^'^  edges,  in  the  vicinity  of  wood  and 
tend  north  of  the  boundary  finally  agreed  upon.  «'''''-"''-  ^  can  well  remember  when  tho  opinion 
Taking  the  facts  us  we  timl  them,  the  i,„devel-;P''^^'''''^'^  ^'■^■^''"'*'''^''-^  ""'*  ^'^^   country  upon  tho 


head  waters  of  the  Missouri  and   of  the   ilissis- 

sippi  were  adapted  only  for  tho  abode  of  unciv- 

The  first  Americans  who  went  into 


oped  area  between  latitude  -ltj°  and  -l;i°,  west 
of  the  lakes,  comprises  '.)'t7,(_nH)  square  miles,  or  '" 
suflicient  territory  to  make  six  and  a  half  States  '''^^d  man 
of  the  s./.e  of  Illinois.  The  undeveloped  area  of'<^'»''«'^'-°''^  *"  search  ,.f  gold,  reported  tho  country 
the  British  Possessions  west  of  Lake  Superior  ^^  entirely  unadapted  to  agricultural  pursuits, 
and  lln(ls.>n's  l!av,  comprises  l,:i7.-.,-2o<)  square ^^'^  have  lived  to  see  all  these  ideas  exploded, 
miles-or  sullicient  territory  to  make  twenty-five  l'^"^  immense  prairies  of  the  west  are  now  justly 
rttatesc.iual  in  si/e  to  Illinois.  Our  own  and  the  '"'-■K'^'''^'^''  as  the  garden  of  the  world.  Immi- 
habitable  portion  of  the  IJritish  Possessions  to- Sr^^t'on  has  poured  up  the  Mississippi  and  Us 
Kether  ure,  therefore,  more  than  thirtv-one  times '"'S^'-"'**  tributaries,  almost  to  Lake  Itasca, 
larger  than  the  State  of  Illinois.  This  computa-  ''"^  s'""-ce  "f  that  great  river;  a  similar 
tion  carries  us  no  to  the  (ioth  parallel  of  north  lat'^""'^"^  '^  '''•'"'"P  '°">  Nebraska  and  Kansas 
itude.  Considering-  the  extreme  severity  (,f  the  '"'^  stretching  away  over  the  immense  plains 
present  season,  it  will  probably  occur  to  some  of  ^liat  border  the  Missouri.  While  California,  the 
my  audience  that  t/„>f,  is  pushing  the  subject  to  co«"try  so  recently  thought  to  be  entirely  unfit 
an  unreasonable  extreme,  but  from  causes  that  f"'' agriculture,  besides  growing  enough  to  sup- 
I  shall  xention  presently,  when  I  come  to  speak  P"'"'  ''«  "^^°  population,  exported  to  New  York 
of  the  climatology  of  the  country,  I  shall  be  able  '^"'^  other  places  during  last  year  nearly  half  a 
to  show  that,  in  a  very  large  section  of  the  coun-  'niHion  bushels  of  wheat.  Now,  when  I  ccyne 
try,  the  temperature  at  the  I'.inh  parallel  is  before  you  this  evening,  and  lay  down  the  pro- 
quite  endurable,  if  not  positively  agreeable.  position,  that  a  very  large  portion   of  the   vasi 

ft  is  the  popular  idea  concerning  this  vast  re-  region  lying  between  the  4Gth  and  60th  paral- 
giou  of  country,  that  i^  is  "a  waste  howling  wil-  'i-'s  "*'  I'ltitude,  and  between  the  Lakes  and  the 
derness,"  abounding  in  sandy  plains,  and  every-  Pacific,  is  susceptible  of  a  profitable  cultivation^ 
where  unadapted  to  cultivation,  both  on  acc(mnt  that  it  is  eminently  adajjted  to  manufactures  by 
of  its  poor  soil  and  its  high  latitude.  But  this  is  reason  of  its  vast  resources  of  water  power,  that 
a  mistake,  as  I  shall  show.  It  is  quite  natural  lin'Re  sections  of  it  are  rich  in  valuable  minerals 
however,  that  such  notions  should  prevail  re-  — "'"^  '^'^  *•''"•  •""'  '^^  ^he  face  of  current  opin- 
specting  U.  The  fur  companies  that  have  occu-  '«"»  directly  to  the  contrary,  I  would  have  you 
l)ied  it  have  always  been  opposed  to  its  settle-  *^car  in  mind  the  interested  sources  from  which 
ment.  The  presence  of  civilization  in  any  por-  •l^'-'^c  opinions  originated,  as  well  as  the  fact  that 
tion  of  it  would  put  an  immediate  end  to  the  busi  very  similar  opinions  formerly  prevailed  of  por- 
ness  of  these  companies  within  the  district  thus  ''"'"*  "''  "•""  "^"  ^'"'«  "'"^  "^^'cr  parts  of  the 
occuiiicd.  It  was  essential,  therefore,  to  main-  country  which  are  now  considered  as  among  tho 
tain  the  undisturbed  possession  of  it  to  the  In-  'n^^'st  desirable  portions  of  the  Union. 
dian  tribes  which  were  found  within  it.  There  Now  let  us  see  for  a  moment  what  facts  can  be 
were  two  ways  by  which  this  might  be  done.  Thejadduced,  even  in  the  present  imperfect  state  of 


['2 


'Mir  knowledfji)  of  tbu  coutitrv,  i"  support  of  the      "The  popular  impressioiiliasljeotithiittliebulk  of  tlio 
prnpositioD  just  laid  down.     And    in  doinjr  so,  1  rerUle  InndH  of  the  t.rriiory,  arc  tohe  foun^l  In  tlie  riv 
.,.  ■         ,    ,  .         .•     •.         1  er  valleys,  uiid  thai  hiifk  (if  lliusc  tlirrcU  no  liiiliiceineiif 

will  commence  at  the  eastern  limit  and  iiro^ress  f„rexph^ra, ion  or  settlement,  from  rep..rt.s  .•  .ntinu- 
westward.  The  country  bordering  upon  Lake  ally  reachloKUH  we  ar'satislMMl  tlmt  this  1."  h  Kreat  er- 
Superior  has  become  widely  famous  for  its  min-  ror.  It  Is  true  that  all  our  valley*  -the  t'liperMij.slshlp- 
ural  deposits  and  extensive  minin;;  ojierations.  Pl.  the  Minnesota,  the  Cannon  Klvrr.  the  /unihro.  and 
,,,.,,,,„  ,   .  ,  the  Uoot  River— are  anioTiK  the   most  he.intiful   in    llie 

horn  little    while  after   population  commenced  ^^^,,,_    g^,,^,,  ^^^^^^^  ^^  pralri-.l  rollinK  and  dotted 

tlowin^j       in,     similar      impressions     prevailed  ^ith  openlnss  seemlnnly  dutlfd  hy  hand,  s-o  uniform 
resjiectin//;  its   ajjricultiiral   capacities    to   those  and  reijular  is  thtirKrowih  :  wi'h  a  soil  of  Kreat  depth 
which  the  first  American  explorers  of  Calilornia  »""'  riehness;  and  ril.l.oned  at  eonvenient   intervals 
,     ~  .,     ,  „,,  with  ele.'irand  rapid  lirooks  and  .-itreatns.  which  tumble 

entertained  of  that  country.  Ihe  country  wu..  ^^.^,^  ,,a,,rfaiis.  and  eontrihn.e  to  the  health,  no  le.s 
supposed  to  be  too  mountainous  and  br(;ken,  too  than  to  the  rapid  development  of  the  seetlons  whieh 
many  rocks  on  the  surface,  the  soil  too  thin,  and  they  beautify;  these  valleys,  thus  fashioned  and  adorn- 
fheseasons  too  short.     But    8ubsc(|uent  experi- «''•  "'""'''   In  them.^elves.  make  Minnesota  llonrishioK 

^    ,  J    ^L    ..  r    .1  1      and  populous  beyond  any  Other  portion  of  the  West. 

nient  has  proved  that  none  of  these  conclu-  ..TheremaininKporiionsofth-Territory  are  not,  a«is 
sioiis  were  correct.  T!  e  finest  esculents  in  generally  supposed,  either  uncomely  or  barren.  On  the 
the  world  are  grown  in  that  region.     The  grass-  contrary,  if  we  rely  upon  the  statements  of  intellifteni, 


es  llonrish  as  if  native   to   the  soil.     Oafs  are  a 


men,  the  hixh  table  lands  whieh  lie  between  our  beauti 


,,  _,,  ,       ,  .     .       ful  valleys,   comprise    (lualities  Iwhich  must  ultimately 

sure  and  large  crop.  The  more  hardy  varieties  ...^^g  ^,g„,  „„^  prominent  reliance  for  HKricultural 
of  Indian  corn  succeed  well.  Add  to  this,  that  purposes.  This  is  peculiarly  true  of  the  sertion  lyinR 
the  characteristics  of  the  soil  are  such  that  crops  between  IheMlnnesotaand  Mississippi  River?.  Afrierjd 
require  very  little  attention  beside  planting  and  *•>"  "at^'y  ^""^  a  tripsome  thirty  miles  l)ack  from  Chas- 
u  »•  Tiru     1  u      1  »    JO- _     >  ka.  on  the  Minnesota,  has  given  us  KlowinK  accounts  of 

harvesting.     Wheat  has  been  grown  at  ditlerent  ..,„,.        ,         .       ,       .„  ,     ...  .  ,  , 

"  "  this  section  of  country— b'autiful  rolhng  prairle«,  oak 

points  on  Lake  Superior  ;  but  it  is  now  thought  ^^j  n^^pi^  openinRs,  and  forests  covered  with  the  larR- 
that  the  snows  immediately  upon  the  coast  and  c'st  and  finest  growth  of  timber  to  be  found  in  the  West. 
on  the  highlands  of  tho  coast  range,  are  general-  The  soil,  which  he  took  occa-sion  to  examine  at  intervals 
I  J         4U   i    iu-  ij    u        „   .u       J    averaged  from  three  to  four  feet  in  depth,  and  "could 

Iv  so  deep  that  this  crop  would  be  smothered.      ,  „     ,  ,  •.  ..i        ,        u  ..     ju   n    r 

^  '  not,"  as  lie  expressed  It,     have  been  bettered  by  Profes- 

Hut  this  is  no  drawback  to  the  country,  since  the  sor,Mape3  himself." 

prairies  of  Wisconsin  and  Illinois  are  near  "B„me  twenty-five  railes'fromOhaska.  he  was  surprised 
enough  at  hand  to  supply  tho  want.  Further  by  the  sight  of  a  large  neat  looking  settlement,  to  which 
west  the  snows  are  not  so  deep,  and  an  excellent  *l>e  name  of  Glencoe  has  been  given.  It  is  located  in 
.iiiality  of  wheat  is  grown  in  Minnesota,  as  well  'he  centre  of  a  charming  prairie,  and  skirted  around  by 
,,  ^,        ^,  ^-   1       f  I  i   J  highland  and  forests.  Coal,  in  considerable  abundance 

as  a  1  the  other  articles  I  have  enumerated.  ,  „  , ,  „„„  <•  ,     i  »v,  j  ,       r  •     i  i  i 

had  been  found  there,  and  our  friend  saw   a  laborer 

I'  Northern  Wisconsin  there  are  occasional  throwing  out  with  a  spade  fl  atin«  parti.-les,  from  a  eel- 
strips  of  poor  land — of  country  almost  destitute  lar  which  he  was  diifning.  The  seitlement  was  com- 
of  soil— sandy  and  arid,  made  up  mainly  of  the >"«"''ed  last  spring  by  a  single  family,  and  now  every 
,    .    ,  ^.  r  »i     1  .       ■  "i  i  quarter  section  within  a  srare  of  ten  miles  fouare  is 

disintegration  oi  the  lower  protozoic  sandstones.  ..„i„i„„,i„,,„    ,,     ,   „,„„       r,    m      .        i         .i 

"  '  claimed   by  actual  settlers.    On  his  return,  hn  met  be- 

There  are  also  occasional  districts  in  which  the  tween  seventy  and  eighty  men,  with  teams  and  packs, 
surface  is  nearly  covered  with  huge  boulders,  going  into  that  vicinity  for  purposes  of  settlement.  So 
and  others  in  which  a   great  multitude  of  lakes  rapidly  and  quietly  is  Minnesota  lilling  up  in  every  di- 

abound,   having   low  banks   and  swampy  mar-;    ..m.' ,„„„,.„,,„„    ,.,„„       .    ...         ., 

'  "  f.'  ]    "The  description  given  us  by  this  gentleman,  we  arc 

gins.     Mr.  Owen,  in  his  report  of  a   Geological  gj^ured  may  be  applied  with  equal   truth  to  the  great 

Survey  of  Iowa,  Wisconsin,  and  Minnesota,  ad-  body  of  country  lying  between  the  .Minnesota  and  Mif 

vises  Government  not  to  incur   the   expense   of  sl^^sippl  Elvers.    It  is  a  section  of  va«t  extent,  large 

enough  to  form  whole  States  of  the  New  Kngland  size. 


surveying  these  marshy  grounds.     You  will  re- 


and  blessyd  with  a  soil  strong  and  fertile  enough  to  sup- 


member  that  this  is  precisely  the  advice  whichportthedensest  population. ' 
the  first  government  surveyors  sent  out  to  Mich-:  qj-  ^■^^^  country  lying  to  the  northward  of  that 
igan  gave  respecting  that  State.  A  little  drain-  ^j^,,,  described  we  have  reason  to  believe  that  it 
age  will  make  the  Lake  region  thus  contemptu-  j^  ^^tof  a  very  different  character.  When  Mr. 
ously  slurred  over  and  dismissed  by  Mr.  Owen,  y^i,„„,pr,^ft  ;„  ^gga  triced  the  Mississippi  to  its 
one  of  the  inost  productive  and  most  desirable '^^.y^ce,  in  Itasca  Lake,  he  found  the  Indians  cul- 
districts  in  Wisconsin.  ,  ' 

Respecting  eastern  Minnesota,  I  need  scarcely  <^"'ating  corn  on  its  head  waters.  At  Cass  Lake 
say  anything,  for  its  agricultural  capacities  are '^^y  informed  him  that  the  crop  was  always  re- 
now  well  known  and  appreciated.  It  will  be 'i«d  on,  that  seed  corn  was  preserved  from  year 
suHicieut  on  this  head  to  read  a  brief  extract  '»  J^ar,  and  tho  crop  never  known  to  fail.  At 
from  the  St.  Paul  .I'ioniv.t;  respecting  tho  coun-  Red  Lake,  north  of  the  4Sth  parallel,  the  traders 
try  lying  between  the  Minnesota  and  Mississippi  'Assured  him  that  corn  was  a  profitable  crop,  and 
Rivers,  of  which  but  little  has  hitherto  bee«  ^^^^  "^  ^'''^  grown  there  in  such  quantities  that 
known:  lit  was  sometimes  furnished  to  tho  posts  on  the 


ll[)pcr  Alississlppi,  iuid  cvi'ii  :is  fir  ua'^t  us  Fond 
du  Lrtc,  nt  the  ln-ad  of  I/iku  SiipiTior.  I'ran- 
clii-re,  whofte  work  li;i->  ylrcac'v  bei-n  niontioiipil, 
tViiis  fjieaks  of  ono  of  thi?  NiiPthwcst  conipiiny's 
tiMdinjT  posts  on  Ijiike  Winipt>2j  in  1*^1 1,  niirtli  of 
the  5iHh  ]iaruilel  of  lititiule  : 

"This  tra'llntT  pnst  lin'l  mnrt'  the  appt'ariincf  nf  a 
KrifP  unil  wfllcultivHterl  farm  than  of  a  fur  tr^uhr's 
fsctory;  a  n";it  ami  dopant  iiKin^iou  biiUt  on  a  sliwht 
eniinciice  ami  surrniiii<l>-'il  with  Iri.nis,  stahhs,  stole- 
kousi.'s.  1*1'..  iiii'l  l)y  lithls  of  li.irl'-y.  pvas  outs  atnl  pnta- 
to'.-^,  reiniiidcd  ui  oT  thf  civiU/.-'il  countriu'9  w^  icli  we 
Iiail  left  so  long  bko." 

A  ver)'  domestic  picture  truly,  and  we  thank 
Mons.  Franchere  for  limning  it  awiiy  out  there  in 
the  wilderness  lor  our  iiifortuation  and  iijratiticit- 
tion.  A  few  days  afterwards  Franchere  and  his 
companions  had  their  visions  of  civilized  life  re- 
newed by  comitifj  upon  another  farm  on  Rainy 
Lake  quite  e(iual  to  the  one  they  had  >eeii  at 
Ijuke  Winijjejir. 

It  is  n  well  known  fact  that  the  Indians  of  all 
this  rpfjion  make  lar,d:e  quantities  of  maple  su^jar, 
and  it  may  be  set  down  as  an  established  truth, 
that  the  jjresence  of  sii^-ar  maple  is  a  sure  indi- 
cation of  a  rich  and  [jrodnctive  soil. 

Flowini;  southward  from  the  hij;hlands  which 
terminate  the  basin  oilcake  Superior  on  the  North 
is  one  of  the  loveliest  and  nio.-,t  romantic  rivers 
upon  the  continent,  bearincj  the  beautiful  name 
of  Kaministi(iuo,  or,  following  more  closely  the 
Indian  ortho<jraphy,  KaministaipK-ia.  Franchere 
was  tilled  with  ecstacy  while  contcmplatin;;  the 
mai^nificent  scenery  through  wh'ch  thi>i  river 
makes  it  way.  Numerous  cascades  and  three  or 
four  cataracts  serve  to  add  the  element  of  gran- 
deur. ():^e  of  the  latter,  Franchere  esteiMns 
scarcely  inferior  in  this  respect  to  the  Falls  ol 
Niagara,  Nearly  the  whole  of  the  Kanunistiiiue 
A'^alley  is  susceptible  of  j)ro(itable  cultivation. 
Sir  George  Simpson,  in  his  recent  work,  entitled 
"An  Overland  Journey  around  the  World," 
speaks  of  it  in  the  following  terms  : 

"The  riverdurinK  the  (tty's  iiuirch.  p:is<orl  throuuli 
forests  ol  (.liTi,  calf,  pine,  bin-h,  Ac,  beiriK  studded  with 
isles  not  h.'ss  fertile  and  lovely  than  its  !)anks  ;  and  many 
a  spot  reminded  us  of  the  rich  and  quitrt  scenery  nf  Kng- 
land.  The  pa'hs  of  the  numerous  portaijes  were  span- 
Kled  with  volets,  roses  and  many  other  wild  (lowers, 
while  th.c  currant  and  gooseberry,  tlie  cherry,  and  even 
the  viae  were  abundant.  All  this  bounty  of  nature  was 
itnlMed  as  it  were  with  life,  by  ilie  cheerful  notes  of  u 
variety  of  birds,  and  by  tlie  res' less  tlu'.ter  of  butterllies 
of  the  brJRhtest  hues.  Compared  with  tlie  adamantine 
deserts  of  Lake  Superior,  the  Karainistaquoii  presented 
a  perfect  paradise.  One  cannot  pass  through  this  fair 
valley  without  feeling  that  it  is  destined,  sooner  or  later, 
to  become  the  happy  home  of  civilized  men,  with  their 
liieating  Hocks  and  their  lowitnth'-Tds,  with  theirschonls 
and  their  churches,  with  their  full  garners  and  their  fo- 
clal  hearths.  At  the  t  me  of  our  visit  the  great  obstacle 
in  the  way  of  so  blessed  a  consummaMon,  was  the  hope- 
less wilderness  to  the  eastward"  "  which  seemed 
to  bar  for  ever  the  march  of  settlement  and 
cullivation.     Hut  tlmt    very   wildernesss,    now    that 


it  is  to  yield  up  Us  long  hidden  store;.  hidH  fan  to  re- 
move the  Uiipi'dinienl-i  wh'..'h  hitherto  it  has  lt'<e!f  pre. 
sc'ited.  The  mines  of  l.iisi:  -nperl'ir,  besides  estahii-*)! 
Ing  a  eont.iiiui'.v  of  rou'e  h-'.weeii  til  '  east  and  the  west, 
will  t';id  th'ir  n'Mirept  anil  clienp.-st  Kiipply of  agrioiiHii 
r.il  pri'diiee  in  'he  vaMey  ofthi-  Kiiiiln'-.faquoia." 

Further  westward,  the  same  author  speaks  in 
no  less  enthusiuslic  terms  of  the  character  of 
thi!  country,  and  of  its  ad  iptntion  to  ))opul(nts 
settleineit.  llctwein  Rainy  Lake  and  Lake  of 
the  Woods  he  f.>und  a  region  especially  fascinal- 
inir  as  will  appear  by  the  following  passage  : 

"The  river  which  empties  I  ao  W  I'luie  into  the  l,ai<e 
;  of  the  \V(j0ds  is  di.-cid.'dly  the  finest  mi  ream  on  the  wh rile 
route  in  more  llian  one  respect.  Froni  Tort  Fnn<'in 
ilow-nw-ards,  a  -stretch  uf  nearly  a  Imiirlred  iiiile<,  it  is 
not  interrupted  by  a  single  iiiipediiueiit.  while  yet  the 
i-urrentls  not  strong  enough  materially  to  re'ard  an 
ascending  travell'jr.  Nor  are  the  banks  less  favorHble 
tJ  agriculture,  th-m  the  waters  themselves  to  naviga- 
tion, respmhling  in  some  measure,  those  of  the  Thames 
near  Richmond-  b'roin  the  v^ry  brink:  of  the  river 
there  ri<es  a  gentle  slope  of  green  sward,  crowned  in 
many  places  Willi  a  plentiful  growth  of  liinh,  poplar, 
b'.'ech,  elm  and  oak.  Is  it  too  much  'or  Iheeye  of  ptiilan- 
throphy  to  discern  through  the  vista  of  futurity,  this 
noble  stream,  connecling  as  it  does  th-.'  fertile  shores  of 
two  spacious  lakes,  with  crowded  steamboat.!  on  its  ho 
ioni,  and  pipulous  towns  on  its  borders  ?" 

liut  I  must  proceed  another  stage  westward  to 
the  valley  of  the  Red  River  of  the  North.  A  col- 
ony was  planted  on  this  river  about  the  year 
1^11,  by  Lord  Selkirk,  under  the  auspices  of  ilie 
Hudson  l{ay  Comiiani".  It  has  reiiniined  there, 
with  varied  fortune,  to  the  present  day,  increas- 
ing in  po[, Illation,  in  comfort  and  iu  wealth. 
The  total  jiopul.ition  of  the  settlements  is  esti- 
mated at  the  piesent  time  to  be  between  7,UtM)  and 
-*,0(N).  The  town  of  Pembina  was  origirnilly  the 
cujiital  of  the  colony,  but  when  the  boundary  line 
wasrun  between  the  United  States  aud  the  Rritisli 
possessions,  it  was  found  to  be  south  of  the 
4'.ith  parallel.  The  Governor  and  the  other  otli- 
cials,  on  learning  this  fact,  at  once  removed  fur- 
ther down  the  river  to  the  other  side  of  the  line. 
I5ut  I'etnbina  continues  to  be  <iuite  an  im- 
portant settlement.  It  has  been  organized  into 
a  county  of  Minnesota,  and  last  summer,  while 
(ju  Lake  Superior,  I  had  the  pleasure  of  meeting 
with  the  Represeiit-.itive  from  that  county  to  the 
Territorial  liegialature,  from  whom  I  learned 
many  facts  respecting  the  colony  and  the  coun- 
try. Churches  aud  scliools  artf  organized  and 
maintained  in  these  settlements,  and  the  so- 
ciety is  such  as  you  would  expect  to  find  in  a 
conimuniiy  of  simple-minded,  industrious  people 
entirely  removed  from  the  whirl  and  excitement 
(if  f  peculation  and  thefrivolities  and  inanities  of 
fashionable  life.  There  are  some  eighteen  wind- 
mills and  two  water  mills  in  the  settleiiients. 
Wheal  of  a  very  superior  ([uality  is  grown  there, 
as  would  undoubtedly  be  the  case  at  mostof  tho 
posts  of  the  Hudson  Bay  Company,  in  even 
higher  latitudes   than    h's,   were  there   mills  to 


14 


uniid  it.  .\^  It  is,  inw  louri.-jls  siiuak  (inly  (pI  ivcii  iihto  livish  in  laT  '.'ilis  nl'  soil  llmii  in  her 
"licldH  <it'  o:its,  biirley,  ])eiiH,  iiiul  potaii.r.-.."  cli;iiuii'ls  of  (■(irpiiimiiiiMti'Pii.  Tlir  iiunicroiis  liiket* 
hVdiM  ulhliiit  I  Ciiii  li'Mrii  n!' thi'iiniilii_v(pf  the  Ui-d  hi'twi'i'ii  tliv;  ,Mis.sissiiP|ii  .uid  ?'■■  HlmI  River  art! 
Uivtr  whfiit,  1  C(jncliKli)  tliiitii  is  sujiurior  toiuiy  .siirnpiiiKKM!    by  a  ;,'iMitlv    iiiiduliilin;;  country  ot' 

/fidwii   ii| the  ciintinunt.     Thi;  lust   Illinois  tho  v//".v'  fir/ili    r/,//; i/. ■'(/•,  uiul  iibiuidiiiuly  mi|i- 

wlii'iii  wcijjhs  troriMio  lo  li:;  lis.  to  tho  iiHMsurt.(l  plied  with  nil  ti:o  I'oresi  trees  common  to  so 
lpii>lii'l.  The  best  (ieiiesee  from  I'.o  to  I'l'i  !''S.  iiDrthuni  i;  iulittidr.  llr  tr.iversed  the  cnuntry 
Kfd  Kivi'r  whe.it  \veit;bs  I'roin  fl.')  tip  To  lI'S.  to  the  I'loiii  north  in  smiili,  w.  di.stiUK'e  of  live  Imiidred 
iiieiisiircd  bushel.  Forty  bushels  to  the  iicre  is  iiiile,s,  and,  with  the  exci'[)iion  of  ii  tow  swiimiis, 
the  iiveriijfe  on  new  pnpund,  and  thirty  busluls  s;iw  not  one  acre  of  unprodpictive  land.  The 
is  an  (prdinary  yitdd.  The  crop  very  rarely  fails,  soil,  he  says,  is  ilu^  idack  nionld,  severi.l  feel  in 
So  niin'h  I  have  heard  verbally  from  citi/eiis  ot  thiekiuss,  with  various  proportions  <pf  !<and  su(- 
the  cniiMtry.  Now  let  us  turn  ajjain  to  cair  wit-  Ijcienl  to  i.'ivi'  the  neeiss.irv  warialh.  The  valley 
ti  II  anthoritii.'s.  iof  the  Iteil  Kiver,  which,  us  I  have  already  staled 

'.'ipI.  lionir,  who  visilei'  this  ri'L':ion  in  I'^-.-^sOn  his  anlhority  eoniprises  -l.'iipoo  i-(|naro  miles, 
.says  af;riculture  isatte:ided  with  suecess  ;  wln'at,  he  rt.'jires.jnts  as  pri'seiitin;;  in  its  whole  extent 
barley,  millet,  pulse,  ])otatoes,  and  (Jther  culiii-  an  alniost  nnbrok.'n  level  of  rieh  prairie,  ipiter- 
ary  npots  are  cnlliv^ited.  seated   by  heavily    timbered    tributaries   of  thr 

Sir(!eor;!;e  Simpson,  wh(pse  residence  ns  ( o)V-  river,  the  nniin  river  itself  beinu^  also  lieavily 
iirnor  of  the  Hudson  Jiay  (,"ipm]p  ny  is  there,  iiiitinibered  on  both  baiiks  uith  o:ik,  elm,  ash,  ma- 
speakin^c  ipf  Fort  Garry,  which  is  north  of  the  pic,  Ac.  This  valley,  he  s-.ys,  is  anion;:  the  fine- 
."•oth  iPiirallel,  describes  l!ie  eipuiilry  as  bein;:,  on  est  wheat  cipuntries  of  the  world, 
the  west  side  <pf  tin.  river,  one  vast  i.rairie,  and  ^^^^  Thomas  Simjison,  of  the  Hudson  lia.y 
-n  the  other  side-  wooded  with' Inreh,  (p,ik,  elm,  (.,„„j,.,„^-_.,  service,  in  Hie  "  narrative  of  his 
and  pine;  that  the  sipil  yields  fprty  bushels  ol  fijscover'ies  on  the  north  coast  of  America  in 
wheat  to  the  iicre,  and  even  after  bein^r  cullivaled  m^,;,.-..^  ,.,,.^  „,-  „,^,  Jhmitoba  House,  situated 
twenty  years,  yields  lifteen  to  twenty-live  bush-  Hi,„„t„n(.  hundred  miles  north  of  the  Red  River 
fls  per  acre.  colony,  that  the    "s(pil  and  climate  of  this  jplace 

Sir.Iohu  Richardson  states  that  the  vei^etath.n  ,„|,„^,'^  p^^^j  j^i^^^^  Barley,  wheat  and  potatoes 
III  the  valley  of  the  Ked  Kiver  is  similar  lo  th:it  ^.;^.,^  j,,  ,„,,^t  seasons  excellent  return.s.  The 
of  the  Srate  of  New  Hampshire.  The  <'"nner  is  j^i-y  produces  very  fine  white  fish  ou  some  (pf 
about  live  degrees  north  of  the  latter.  |  k^  tributary  stream's  ;  tolerable  .salt   is  obtained 

1  have,  in  the  preceding  part  of  this  discourse, ,  from  saline  sprin^js,  :;nd  the  wild  hcpp  {irows  in 
read  you  an  extract  from  Havid  Dale  Owen's  re  hiiany  jilaces  in  jrreat  profusion  and  of  f!;o(pd  ([ual- 
port,  concerninp;   a  settlement   of  civilized    Cree  ity." 

Indians,  who  reside  u;)on  this  river,  lo  wliicli  \\  If  further  jiripipf  of  the  existence  of  a  vast  and 
now  add  tiie  folbiwing  remark  by  the  same  au-  fertile  retcion  fripin  two  to  five  hundred  miles 
Ihor:  "The  general  agricultural  character  of  west  (pf  Lake  SupiTiipr  were  needed,  it  could  be 
the  Red  River  c(puutry  is  excellent;  the  land  furnished,  but  tlie  aliove  will  certainly  be  regard- 
is  fiighly  pripductive,  especially    in    small  grain,  ed  as  entirely  sutisfictory, 

The  principal  drawbacks  are  occasional  jirotract-  Procecdinga  few  hundred  miles  northwestward 
t'(f  droughts  during  the  midsummer  inonilis.and  from  the  Selkirk  settlement,  vre  strike  the  valley 
freshets  during  the  spring,  which  from  time  to  of  tiie  Saskatchewan  River.  The  Saskatchewan 
time  overflow  large  tracts  of  '.ow  prairie.  Its  is  au  important  stream,  adapted  to  steamboat 
tenacious  subsoil  insures  its  durabiliiy."  navigation,    having    its   sources    in    the    Rocky 

The  valley  of  this  river  is  ;'.  mi  by  l."<o  miles  inMountains,  and  discharging  its  waters  into  Lake 
extent,  containing  4."p,oo0  5([uare  miles- -largerjWinipeg.  The  French,  originally,  and  after- 
than  many  of  the  States  of  the  Union.  Captain  wards  the  Northwest  and  Hudson  Bay  Cotnpa- 
I'ope,  of  the  I'.  S.  army,  whom  many  of  you |nies,  established  trading  posts  along  the  entire 
know  personally— a  native  (pf  Hliiicpis,  and  soni  valley  of  both  branches  of  the  Saskatchewan.  It 
(pf  tlie  late  lamented  Judge  J'ope,  a  young  gen-iis  described  as  a  most  charming  region  of  coun- 
tleman  of  line  abihties  ai:d  solid  attainments—  try,  fertile  and  well  wooded.  Sir  John  Uichard- 
e'Piiducted  an  exploration  into  this  countryby  son  states  that  wheat  grows  finely  in  it,  that  it 
onh'r  of  the  (bivernment  in  jsl'J.  After  stating  ripens  well  in  the  dryer  limestone  districts,  and 
in  his  repiirt  that  the  Mississippi  was  navigablci  better  in  tlie  jirairie  country  ;  but  in  the  hitter  it 
•ioo  miles  in  Minnesota  ;  the  Red  liiver  the  same 
distance;    the  St.   I'eters   li^i',   and   the   Janie 


is  subject  to  periodical  ravages  of  the  larva-  ot 
caterpillar!?.  He  adds,  however,  that  this  plague 
liiver,  a  tributary  of  the  Missouri,  nearly  liooj  might  bo  lessoned  were  the  country  mipro  gener- 
miles,  Capt.  I'ope  remarks,  that  nature  has  beeujally  cultivated,  and  rooks  and  domestic  poultry 


Judton 
gotiatio 

Bt«ted  tc 
Airs  o(  til 
as')  tbd    I 

Jfot'a  Boui 

rtiuinn  ol  4 

»btch  anioni 

/quldatc  and 

'oa  naa  out 

■ppeaia  ijiat 

.ernipeiit  ar 

'«■  miortiK 

aem  it  A  Hr 

tan  oc  the 

ft»e  now  in! 

ufliolfnt— 1* 

ho  exact  am 

becoapnuy, 

land,  not  to 

<  the  IntMtK 

louie,  i>rovl< 

retty  soon,  t 

nter  into  neg 

.etefred  to. 

I  bare  aoi 

iiUoos  bad 

nve  bay*  n 

ome  inleretl 

3t  correct,  i 

unpaof  expl 

le  tact  tbat  li 

foy  a  UpeuM 

SM-s.    The  ol 

>  «>comnui7 

eataren  or  ] 

rant  {nolnded 

ilea.  And  wai 

'  twooikiani 

Dilaod  sbonJ 

hare  ane  aboi 

Is  a  stnpexi 

.ente.    Tba  ] 

}me  member! 

iOO.OOO  woMii 

le  territory  ol 

(is,  a  fort  is  n 

iveinment  of 

7  governors  a 

;rs,  at  thdr 

;hicb  Is  the  1 

jry.  Bed  KITS 

I  Utn  from  i 

ennejrlvania  t( 

de  pretssure  ai 

Id  New  Jsrse 

iJirit    \)f   11 


5'... 

'^  I 

'»'■  t ;' 

7 

T' 

>  t, 

)'., 

'V 

po 
lo\ 
sol 

pei 
(la; 


mi 
va 

r 

tha 

wh 

is  i 

rea 

of 

doi 


Do 

r<i- 
ird 

ley 

ail 

iiiit 

cky 

like 

tor- 

ipii- 

tire 

II 
iiii- 
inl- 
t  it 
iiiul 
;r  it 

ot 

lOrVK! 

lUrv 


I'llS  well 


basra,  Sir  Ak-xamlerMiickenzic  Ciuiif  in.inii  maiir 
..^liarmiiij;  viinvs,   ii  ilc<criiition  nt' one  I'f  whii'li  1 


Wamhi.\gton,  Ue3.  ii,  LiM, 
l^jdton  Bay  Vcmjicmy—lU  Eightt  in  lAt  NvnhnttL— 
0o(M(ion:  lo  Putohait  them—SKttiary  Gulkrit  aitd 
.'cluinan'i  Cabinri. 
Bt«ted  f ome  time  ilnoe  tbkt  tke  CommltiM  on  Foreign 

Airfl  o(  Ui«  Home  y/  »  about  to  repoi  *.  t.  bill  u>  por- 

Bse  the    puiacuory  nghte  of  Uio  Madooc''  liiy  and 
Jfbt'a  Bouad  AgriGuHural  aouipaay ,  aud  tiitit  ua  appro* ' 
rtititnn  ol  $26«,00O  would  1)6  a&kfld  by  ttio  committoOi  <>:< 
rblehaniotiDt  ii  was  nniioritood  wculit  ko  auliKiK'U*.  to    ],,  j  ,i|t  traiisi'ril»'  : 
^qullato  and  latlafy  the  partlei  Interested    Tlim  laforina-         ~         '  ■ 

•on  naa  obtained  iroai  tue  dtate  Oettariuout;  but  it  now  iho.i,  ••Wiilmi  n  milt' df  ilie  tiTniiimiimi  cf  iln'  rnrtn^i-  !■«  a 
•ppeai«tliat  Blnce  It  baa  been  asoortamed  tuatov.rgo-  ♦  ('nin-  proc.^ico,  wliioli  ri^e- upranl  nf  a  ili'nwaml  ffit  iili'iv*- 
.  ernweot  are  oenlrooB  ol  maklni:  tbe  piirtimao,  the  par-   ',  ,1,^  pi„in  i,ei„-aili  it,  ami  cdinmantN  a  m  ut  rxtriHivr. 

,€«  miortitea  Uere,   wJjo  are  KnglUhmen-aud  oue  of  turtlkr  , ,        ,  .„..io,;nu'  i,r..«pc,-t      From  tlimi-..-  ilu- 

aem  !•  R  Mr,  Lum!ey,  wto  baa  been  alicBOiog  tbe  biul-  ,i,..,  „t  >•'"";'"'  '""  ras^sumu  '''"P''''  ,,;'7'  ^  i.vsom.^ 
•SB  ol'lUe  ISKatlon  sinoothe  dlsmUal  or  Orampion-  '"  '  .■:-..■  ;o,.k»  .low,,  onili..  cours.-of  tholli  1«  nv  ■r.l.ysmn. 
ave  now  Iniornied  our  government  tiiat  $360,000 '>«  not  >  <"^  ''"'  califil  tli«  Swan,  and  by  (itlit-rs  tlio  , Clear  Water  aim 
.ulllolent— riiat  they  will  Inl'orm  tbe  propar  autborttinii  of  -  >i,,„n.  I'tlican  Itiv.r,  h-autitully  nieamlfrinK  f<ir  'upwards  nf 
be  exact  aBiomrt  recinlred,  atsoon  aa  they  aicecialu  from    '  tiiiriy  mlii'"    Tlu'  valley  whicli  is  a'  cnei'  rerrestiedand 

hocompany.  ThegoverBiueMMredeUrinlncd,  luuder- ips  ii'id  ,,,.„,.■  „,,,  ,,„■;,  ;,  ,,„o„t  ii,ree  mile-  in  i.rendih,  an.l  ii 
land,  not  to  allow  tttep^  to  exceed  $300/)00, and  that  U  .....hcit  '"" '""^  '•'"'''?.     .  f     „  ,     i.,.,t  ,r,  .,i.,vinL' 

I  the  IntMitKMi  of  tb«.ODiiBlttoe,  both  of  the  fanateand  '^  ^'"^•"  """fi"^''  ''V  two  lofty  r,d«^8  of  ..iuai  l..iK!it.  ti-.>i.iynk' 
iouie,  provided  there  )8  not  somo  arrangement  made  n'  Cuni-  a  most  (|p|i(<liifnl  intcrniixture  of  wooii  and  lawn,  aim 
retty  soon,  to  report  a  hiU  authorizing  tbe  Precldent  to  ii,,,.i,,.r,.  stretching  on  till  ;lieliUi.;  mist  nbscure-i  tlie  vrospeci. 
nter  Into  negoUaUoBs  for  the  purcaase  of  the  rights  aooye     '  >^<>iiieparis  oftlie  inuiinint;  ii''i»;lits  are  eover-d  with 

.elemdto.  *,        .        ^_  .      .^  °''    !'''■'"  .-taulv  fore-ts,  relieve.l  by  prnmontories  of  the  fineM 

I  have  acme  InformatJon  IB  referenoe  to  the    oon- »     Tlii-i        i  i       .»      n.„  i  i.Mfv.i    f,n,i  m-iiure    Thes,. 

atlons   i.ad   workings  of  thta  comeany,  wbloh   I  be-    "     '  '  N' ■■I'"'-'. 'l-ro  the  elUand  imiial .  find  i-a  tu  e.    in  s.^ 

^5ve  have  nevw  boen  aUted,  aad  ai  it  is  ezcittag  J"'  'j"'-**-  ar.cmtra-ied  by  ppois  where  hre  hu<  d  •■'troy,  a  m- 

Dmo   interest  just   now,  I  will  give  It   publlOtty.     It  la    Hm  svl-  «■""''"  and  left  a  dreary   void  behind  it.    Nor.   when  I 
ot  cortect,  as  haa  been  stated,  that  thedtaarterot  tho  bohehlthi.s  wonderful  din>lay  of  nnenltivateil  nainre, 

iinpany  expire  *  MM.  The  error  probably  arlMs  fro»  piissii!,'^         ,  .  f  ^  occipation  wantinK  to 

le  lact  that  In  1W8  Oie  British  Parliament  gave  the  cojp-  «»^u    .nm.oK  i  ......  i  Mt„i-oii    l 

(inyalloenstof  eiolMlTe  trade  with  tne  Inaians  for  21  oomple.e  the  picture.    Vron,  tins  elevated  -^^  >'■"•/ 

ears.  'Hie  charter  w««  granted  in  1670.  by  Cbarlaall.,  omposed  beheldiny  people,  dinnnished  as  u  were,  to  half  tnu.i 
>«£Om||^]r  styled  "Tbe  Governor  and  Company  of  Ad-  tie  to  d  ^ise.  employed  .in  pitehinK  their  tents  in  a  charnnnK 
eDtarers  or  EaglUd,  Sradlnf  to  Hudson's  Bay."  The  .«  ,vh.ch  mtadow  and  amonKthe  canoes  which  beinn  turned  on 
rant  inclndedterrttorieeeempriBlie  half  a  mlillOB  square  "y   ,,^.    ,heir  sides,  presented  ihen-  reddened  bottonm  in  con- 

^'i^Ardi^i'^eii^t.Tb'^s^vrrr  fove'^w '  'n  <^^-  "-^  -'•"  •'"'  --■->'-•  v.-<>'-- "  -« !"  I"; 

nglsod  BhOUld  tIsII   tbeni.      It    wis. made   perpMual.  loiter  in  teonth  of  .'September  when.Ienjoycd  a  scene  of  which  I 

here  Me  abomt  two  hundred   members  In  tbe  company.  Unhand  do  not  presnnie  to  Kive  an  adei;uate  description  ;  and  as 

Is  a  BtnpendOUB   mCBOpoly.     Its   vroQtS  aWJ  nowlm-  .,i  .  ,  :,,  .  it  was  the  ruttin«sea.-nn  of  the  elk.  the  whi*tlinKofthal 

,ente.     Xbe   profit  of  a  ahare   last   year   was  glO.OOO.  .'u'l  animal  was  heard  in  all  the   varidy  which  the   edioes 

}me  members  own  several  shares.    Itiseatlmatedthat  •^■'"'^^                       „ 

iOO.COOworthoffnrsarelarnteUodtothccompanyflrom  «  "v  the   ■"""»"""'' " 

le  territory  of  the  UnUed  States  Annually,    fo  prevent  ds  whieh      ^^i-  J'lli"  Uichardson  savs  ;;1  Ibu  Cduntry  in  Ib^ 

ds,  a  fort  IB  noeded  on  the  Bed  River  of  tlio  Xorth.  The  ,  and  '.r  same  vicininitv,  that  from  Methv  I'ortaifo  west- 

>veinment  of  the  company's  territory  is  Bdmiulat3red  .i^,,.,  n,..  '                                  ,        ,     ,      \     ,•         .    i   i... 

ygovernorBaDdcotmolirofchlefthotorBaiSlXef  wa    H      H       '"''"^^      '^^^^  ""        '''"'  •^'  '"''"'  ' 

';rs,  at  thUr  various  eatablUbments,  the  prlndpil  of  '^"  ,"  river  coursos   iind  ravines,   ami   more  or  less 

»hlch  Is  the  Red  Etver  Bettlement.    They  have  trUl  by '^'^ '^''■*"'     ,.,,  ,    ,  .i  .  ,.v  ,>c  „  ,.,..,i,i . 

iry.  Bed  KlveraetUemeBtlB  650  miles  above  St.  Paul,      re  by  the  thickly  wooded,  varlaku^  so   inucb  ot  u  iiiaiii. 
I  lean  from  a  gentlenan  who  recetitly  returned  from    fouks  of  character  that   hor.seiiien   nuiv  travol  over  it  to 
enneyitrania  to  thli  dty,  that  there  Is  a  trenieadeai  out-  p  refresh   ,  ^.m        r    i        .  i  ,i, ,  ■j.  i-.ii,.b.».-,n      In 

de  prerture  among*  Wain  mtereat  in  Pennsylvania  I'  ,,^  I'^'S'^'-''- ^'"^'^'  ^^''^'^  =""^  ^l'"  Na>kdlthe«.in.  m 
id  New  Jersey,  la  ftiTorofthe  retention  of  Secrslary  *'''-^''"'  ,he  vallev  of  this  river  Sir  (ieorcfo  .Smiiisou  en- 
i)»r!«    bf    me     nut  .IdnlSiXratlOn.    ud     Ut^    tt/X^;;;;;.  countered  etid^^ratits  iron,    lied    Kiver,   niuvinj, 

to  myself,  with  horses   and  wagons  to  Orejro",  wliieh    tact 

I-       '^y  Imman  imjicates  clearly  the  iiracticiible  character  of  the 

■*  '  .  \',^y''\"  •I'r.nn  country.     Indeed  Sir  OeorKe,  in    another  place, 

iropesomany  mentions  that  from  Carlton  House  follow  Uiver, 

r  own  an  inch  about  one  hundred  miles,   he   jiasscd    ihroiiiih  a 

jir  country  for  (,,„,,^try  very  much  resemblinjr  an  l•;nn;ll^h  i'ark. 


'i-t\ 


7" 


'<•'.. 


•■(,,»  ./"/*'  / 


i/A'i  » 


port  only  herds  of  wild  animals?     Will  men  alwayj  \^^s^^„ 


^:^:^:Z  The  a,ricultural  value  of  the  Atha- 
.ain  unoultivatfd  basca  valley  increases  as  it  ai>i)roac!ie,>< 
(Phy  do  they  sup-  ihu     niountians,     the      riiror     of    }he     climate 


more 


strikinjrlv      modified      by     th 


love  better  to  vesetate  all  their  lives  on  an  un«ratefal  ..-inds  from  the    I'acillc.      lUit  thron^jhout 

soil   than  fo  seek  afar  fertile  regions  in  order  to  pass  in  ,,       •  i       ii         „ 

^eace  and  plenty  at  least  the   last   portion   of  their  its  entire  length,  us  well  as  in  a  considerable  ,o- 
.laysV"  tion  of  the  valley  of  Mackenzie  s  River,  the  IIikI- 

With  which  profound  and  knotty  (luestions  we  son  15ay  and  Northwest  Companies  have  i^rowii 
must  leave  Mons.  Franchere  aud  the  charmine;  at  their  several  posts,  oats,  barley,  potatoes. 
vallev  of  the  Saskatchewan.  pnlse,  and  at  some  places  wheat.     Indeed  wheal 

The  next  most  important  valley  westward  is  has  been  crown  at  Fort  Laird,  on  a  tributary  ol 
Ihatof  the  Athabasca  River,  with  its  tributaries,  the  M.ickenzie  River,  in  latitude  r,iio  ,v  North, 
which  Hows  into  Great  Slave  Like.  This  region  ■•.hile  barley,  potatoes,  &c.,  are  grown  up  to  .l.-.^ 
is  spoken  of  by  most  of  the  writer.^  we  have  al-  North  latitude.  At  Fort  Simpson,  on  the  >Lu:- 
ready  quoted  in  a  similar  strain  to  their  notices  kenzie,  in  ^Vi°  North  latitude.  Sir  John  Richard- 
of  the  Saskatchewan  vallev.  While  passing  son  states  that  "  barley  is  usually  sown  from  the 
down  one  of  the  minor  tributaries  of   the  Atha-  '20th  to  the  'J.-.th  of  May,  and  it  is  expected  to  be 


14 


;a.R'R 
■took 

I  910 


aup- 


j;nn(l  it.     .\'<  it  is,    our   tourists   sjn'iik  cmly  ul'  fvcn  iin'ro  l.ivi,«li  in  1i..t  ;;!! 
"' lii.id.i  ()('  <i:its,    bariuy,    [icuH,    iind   jiotatocs."  clianm-ls  of  ciiiiuniinicitt 
Fniiu  ill!  Ili;it  1  cuii  le:irn  "t  tlif  qnuiitv  nt' tiiu  Kid  betwtcn  tin;  .Mississipiii  ,i:i 
Uivir  wlu'iit,  I  CDiicliuli!  tli;ilit  in  siiiiurior  to  any  .siirrouiKlud    hy  a  (.aiiliy    ray. 
LMiiwii   iiniiii    the  contiiiciit.     Tlit!  bi'sl   lllinoi.s  tlio ///p,s7  /i /•/;/,    ,■/,(//(/.'./■».?■, 
wlifiit  wrij,rtis  Ironi  I'.ii  to  •):;  ll.,s.  to  the  iiieiisured  plied    with   nil    thi^   I'oivst'      ' 
l)ii>lii'l.     'I'lio    hi'si  (iL'iK'sce   f'niiii  till  to  (i">  t!'H.  iiortlaTii  ii  lulitudu.     Hr  t: 
Kfd  Kivt'r  wheat  weighs  from  O.")  to  7<i  ilin.  to  the  tVoin  north  to  soiiijj.  n  dist 
measured   bushel.     I'orly  bushels  to   th(!  acre  is  iriile.x,  iind,  wiili  the  cxci-p 
ihe  avera^'e  on  new   p-roiind,  and  thirty  bushels  saw  not  one  acre   of    uiif 
IS  nn  ordinary  yield.     The  eroj)  viTy  rarely  fails,  soil,  he  says,  is  the  black  treek 

So  much  1  have  heard  verbally    from  citr/ens  of  thickness,  with  various  ]ir  " 

the  country.     Now  let  us  turn  iif;ain  to  onr  wit-  Ijcjent  to  jrive  the  necess.ir'''*** 
len  authorities.  of  the  Ued  Iliver,  which,  ail. 

Col.  lionir,  who  visited  this  rrtjion  in  l'^-'--',  on  his  authority  coniprisei    '■ 
.>-.iys  af^riculture  isattetided  with  success  ;  whrat,  he  n.'jiresents  as  preseiitinjleup 
barley,  millet,  jjulse,    jiotatoes,    and  other  cnliii-  an  almost  unbroken  level    ^^ 
ary  roots  are  cultivated.  sected    by  hcavilv    timber 

Sirdeorsje  Siiupson,  whose  residence!  as  <  i<iv-  river,  the  main    river   itseiSS* 
enior  of  the  Hudson  J!ay  (,'omp  iiy    is  there,  in  timbered  on  both  banks  wjjf 
s[)eakiiii^  of  Fort  (larry,  which    is  north  of  the' pie,  i^c.     This  viiUcy,  be  8 
."■oth  parallel,  describes  the  country  as  beiiij.',  on  est  wheat  countries  of  thai,  AT 
the  west  side  of  the  river,  one  vast,  jirairie,  and;     ^^j.     t1)o„,;,s   .Simp.-dn,ier«4 
on  the  idher  side   wooded  with"  blieli,  ouk,  elm,  (i,i,,i.,.^„^ -^    service     in    t'.iSSL 
and  pine;  that  the  .soil  yields  forty   bushels  ol  fji^g,,^,,^;^^^;,   „„    ,iie' north 
wheat  to  the  acre,  and  even  after  beinj;  cultivated  }>;,",(;_;',-"   (^.ly.^  of  tlie  Ma£'!i_ 
twenty  yeans,  yields  lifteen  to  twenty-live  hush-  ,^^,„^,^  „„y  hundred  miles  n 
uis  per  acre.  jcolony,  that  the    "so 

Sir  John  llichurdson  states  that  the  vegetation  ^,nnalrt   Red  Iliver.     ]),irle' ' 
HI  the  valley  of  the  lied  Iliver  i.-;  similar  to  tint  ^j^.,^   j,,   ,„,,^f   seasons  e.v. 
of  the  State  of  New  Hampshire.    The   f-nner  is  i,,,,^.  ^,^,,,,,,,.^3   ^.^.^^   fj,,^,  ^ 
about  five  degrees  north  of  the  hitter.  jitstributaiy  stream's  ;  toleif 

1  have,  in  the  precediusr  piirtof  this  discourse,  from  snliiii,'  sprin;js,  nd  C 
read  you  an  extract  from  liavid  Dale  Oweu's  re  many  places  in  p;reat  profui 
port,  concerning   a  settlement   of  civilir.ed    Cree  ity."  ^ 


Indians,  who  reside  up(ni  tliis  river,  to  whicli  1       ll'  furtherproof  of  the  e. 


^Tel- 


KAABItt,  COI 
OOLLABSandSKTTS. 
7M  Mroxurmy,  coraer  of  W 

AOm  FA  MOT  f  OBH. 


Qeanla^itek  taAjv: 


BMnUtalmlHk  vMortaMud 
BM«ttfatmlnk««*. 


ro]«l  armliM, 

kMlBl 


lOHBi 


M" 


Vwy  Am 
Wtth  ertrjr  athar  deMrl»Uoa  «r  ftur  at  o^: 

K.  B.-AUoiiriloekktfrtBai*Nv«M 

LAOi'dTBTAIKA 
JAM BB  OBOPSCT,  Ml  BroUn 
Hm  Juat  raoalTAd  a  larga  aaaortmaot  of  laoc 
meat  alflSMt  deaorlpUoD,  whieh  be  la  aeUli 
wlSdaiy  campaUttoa. 

-IS8E8>  ANB  OBILDBBK'S  VURS- 

OBBIX'S  BAZAAR*  SU  BROAD 
Nlaaea'  ennlM  o^^aa,  euffa  aad  aiaflk; 

MiMea'  mink  oaiMa,  evt 
MlMaa'al 
Bora' 
Xlnk  cttttMn,  gkattt  and  mlttanai 

ParUeular  attenUoD  havtBf  baan  paid  to  U 
for  buitaaaa.  Uultea  wiU  flnd^  tba  only  place 
a  eoaBilataaBBoruniMk  of  fan  for  Miaaaa, 
itiaimmntaied  asprawly  fMr  the  baiaar,  aod 
greach  modaa. 

NOTIOB 
THl  FOBTT  DOUAB  SILK  Db 
We  hare  been  aeUlac  at 

2S  DOLLABS 

WiUbeoflbredti 

A  T.  BIT 
Broadway.  Obambera  ai 

OATSUON  I»  FLOVJi 


OSlwatollat     

Fna  flrat  alaaa  heaaaa  b|  I 

TruthAilaadorariliSB 

JAMBS  TUOr~ 


n 


PBBDBMTS   FOR  OBNTLBMEN. 
Smoking  Jacketa, 
Telret  robea,  tlO. 

Fine,  loarlb,  eollan 
Wbotesale  or  retail. 

IBa  FBREaO   A  RON, 
Mo.  61 1 


pRESBMTS  FOB  THE  HOLIDATB- 

ORKIN'S  BAZA.a^,  613  BBOA)} 
Mlaaea'  walking  ooata, 

Miisea'  dreaaes. 


Boya'  eoata. 
Infants'  cloabg. 


Boys'  salts, 


Bo; 


v\j*kj    AlJbW    AJUJ«0 


now  add  the   folhiwinsj    remark  by  the  same  au-  i'ertile  region    from  two   to 
Ihor:     "The  general    agricultural  character  of  west  <d' Lake  Sujierior  were 
the  lied  River   country   is   excellent;    the   hind' furnished,  but  the  above  will 
is  highly  productive,  especiaU,^,  in    small  gram,  ed  as  entirely  satisfactory. 
'I'lie  ])riiicipal  drawbacks  are  occasional  jirotract-      J'roceedingafew  hundred  mi 
ed  droughts  during  the  midsummer  months,  and  from  the  Selkirk  settlement,  wt 
freshets  during  the  spring,  which  from   time  to  of  tiie  Saskatchewan  River.     Tl 
time  overflow    largo   tracts  of  low  prairie,     hs  m  an   important  stream,   adajitt 
tenacious  subsoil  insures  its  durability."  navigation,    having    its   sources 

The  valley  of  this  river  is  o.H)  by  llO  miles  in  Mountains,  and  discharging  its  wi. 
extent,  containing  4.'),ooo  .«(|uiire  miles — larger jWinipeg.  The  French,  originally,  and  aftcr- 
than  many  of  the  States  of 'he  Union.  Captain,  wards  the  Northwest  and  IIud.>oii  Uay  Compa- 
I'ope,  of  the  U.  S.  army,  whom  many  of  you, nies,  established  trading  posts  along  the  entire 
know  iiersonally— a  native  of  Illinois,  and  soni  valley  of  both  branches  of  the  Saskatchewan.  It 
(if  the  late  lamented  Judge  Pope,  a  young  gen-!  is  described  as  a  most  charming  regi(m  of  coun- 
tlcman  of  tine  abilities  and  solid  attainments— 'try,  fertile  and  well  wooded.  Sir  John  Richard- 
conducted  an  exploration  into  this  country  by  son  states  that  wheat  grows  finely  in  it,  that  it 
order  of  the  (Joveriimcnt  in  l^  I'.i.  After  stating  ripens  well  in  the  dryer  limestone  districts,  and 
in  his  report  that  the  Mississipj)i  was  navigable  better  in  the  prairie  country ;  but  in  the  latter  it 
400  miles  in  Minnesota;  the  Red  Iliver  the  same!  is  subject  to  periodical  ravages  of  the  hirv.'i-  ot 


Tt.fanig'  (Iresoea. 

XnfhT 

j.i't's'  orer>  t'f'i"V» 

i..ti>:le«,  toOcfc  a<  cb»aor». 
luiiat  ai 


distance  ;    the  St.  I'elers   \'2i>,   and   the  Jame 
River,  a   tributary  of  the  ilissouri,   nearly  lioii 
miles,  Capt.  Fo|)e  remarks,  that  nature  lias  been 


caterpillars.  He  adds,  however,  that  this  plague 
fxiight  be  lessoned  were  the  country  more  gener- 
ally cultivated,  and  rooks  and  domestic  poultry 


;S  ud  8KTTS, 


UAABBd,  COI 


'»  Bwairay,  eonw  of  W 


MOT  rOBH. 


111  mink  MMti 

iMiillfiyiiiwt  TMorlMsaad 
■^It».ur«l  mil*  ij;*. 

tBdrw*: 


)T»ltndaat 

KmIB 


▼"T 


llMaiitai 


nr  lUMk  at  frMi  a  I*  N  f«r  M 

'aMM  OBOFSBT,  481  BroUn 
iTiid  »  terge  UMrtmeot  of  Um 
deMripttoD,  whiok  he  la  aaUli 

leUtioa. __^__ 

n9  OBILDBBM'S  FUB8- 

flll'B  BAZA.AR,  513  BROAD 
I  oapaa,  eufla  aad  ■laflh; 

Mtoaea-miakoagw^ew 

BOTi' 

rloraaaBdmlUaaa;    ,  ^  ..^ 

ttentlon  hariag  been  paid  to  U 
adlea  wiU  fliiftt  the  only  place 
ionmi«t  or  Con  for  Mliaea, 
axpr»«l7  (iMT  the  baiaar,  and 

I. 

I  FOBTT  DOUAB  BILK  Db 
We  hare  been  eeUlng  at 

26  D0LLAB8 

WUlbeoOBredti 

A  T.  BTT 
Broadway.  Ohambere  ai 

[  DBFLOVA 

n  toilet  attnoMoM      °    ^. 
riMi  flrat  olaM  hoMOe  fta  Pa 
TrulhAd  aad  oi;  HllA  B 
JAMB8  TPOKBB. 

I   POB  OBNTLBMEH.     ^^ 

BmoUng  Jacket*, 
robes,  tlO.  ^ 

Fine,  ioarfh,  eollait 
e  or  retail.  ,    „,.„ 

IBA  PEREOO  A   BON, 
Mo.  611 

rFOB  THE  HOLIDATis" 

tNIH'S  BaZAaB.  61S  BBO  AI 

Dgooats, 

BlMea'  dre«WB, 


Boys'  sulta, 


Bo; 


IB, 


Tt,f«iit8'  drpRBfi, 

Infn.- 


(trr- 
ipu- 
t  i  I'u 
11 
)iin- 
ani- 
I   It 

UII'l 

sr  it 
'  ol 
p;tlo 
nei- 
Itrv 


ir. 


I'titMiirnpeil.  Uu  iilso  says  lliut  maize  ii|i('ns  wdi 
lit  (.'iirlliiii  llmisf,  II  p<ist  (iC  thu  lliidsim  H  iv 
('iini]ianv,  in  r.:i''  ;",!'  iiiirth  laliliiili',  lit  ii  lifiu'lit 
ot'elt'Vi'n  liiiiidri'd  loct  iiljuve  tin;  lovtl  of  tlif  sr;i, 
iiiul  111'  bcliorcs  it  is  cultivitod  likewise  at  Ciiiii- 
lieriaiul  lionso,  which  it)  sitiiutud  u  decree  I'urthcT 
mirth,  where  the  siimiiUT  heat  t'xci'ods  that  ol 
Unissels  (ir  Paris.  At  F'orl  IvInmiKllon,  on  the 
Haiiio  river,  in  latitude  .'-1°,  near  the  Hocky  Miiiin- 
tiiins,  (lov.  Simpson  says  potatoes,  turnips,  and 
ther  hardy  ve^ri'tahles  are  ;;r(iwti,  hnt  the  whe.it 
is  destroyed  by  tlie  early  frosts.  At  the  Ciuii- 
berland  I lonse,  another  tradiii^j  post,  Franchere 
saw  cultivated  fields  in  HI  1— barley  and  iiea> 
especially  proniisir.jj  an  abundant  h:irvest.  This 
last  mentioned  writer,  althoufjh  a  practical  busi- 
ness man,  was  rendered  (piile  poetic  by  the  syl- 
van beauties  of  this  re|;ioti.  1  ([uote  a  pussa^^e 
from  his  narrative: 

"The  Uiver  Sjiskaleliewan  Mows  over  a  bi'(l  cnmroseil 
of  mild  ami  marl,  whicli  eoritriliutes  nut  a  little  to  d;- 
ininisli  lli^  purity  and  ti-ansp;irfiic.vi>f  its  waters,  wliicli 
like  tliose  of  the  Misfoiiri  are  tarliid  ami  whiti.'ili.  Ex- 
cept fur  fliat,  it  is  one  of  tli'-  prettiest  river.^  in  llie 
world.  The  hanks  are  perfectly  charmiriK,  and  oiler  in 
many  places  scenes  the  fdirest,  the  most  srailinK  and 
l".e  best  diversifled  that  can  lie  seen  or  itnairined  ;  hills 
ill  varied  fortiis  crowned  with  siipevh  groves;  valleyi- 
a:,'reeahlv  embrowned  at  eveuine  and  morning  tiy  the 
prolonKcd  shadow  of  the  hills  and  of  the  woods  which 
adorn  thiMii ;  herds  of  lii^ht-limheil  antelope,  and  f.l' 
heavy  colossal  hiifTalo— the  former  houndiiiK  alonK  the 
slopes  of  the  hills,  the  latter  trampling  under  their 
heavy  feet  the  verdure  of  the  plains;  all  these  cham 
paiKn  beauties  rellecteil  and  doubled  as  it  were  by  the 
waters  of  tlie  river;  the  melodious  and  varied  son^s  of 
a  thousand  birds,  perctheii  on  Mie  tree  tops;  the  refresh 
ini{  breath  of  the  zephyrs :  the  serenity  of  the  sky  ;  the 
purity  and  salubrity  of  the  air  ;  all  in  a  word  pours  cnu 
tentuientand  jny  into  tlie  soul  of  the  enclianted  specta- 
tator.  *  •  »  How  comes  it  to  pis-",  said  I  to  myself, 
that  so  beautiful  a  country  is  not  Inhiibited  by  human 
creatures?  T)ie  sodk^',  the  hymns,  the  prayers  of  the 
laborer  and  the  artisan,  shall  they  never  lie  Iieard  in 
these  fine  plains?  Wherefore,  while  in  Kurope  so  many 
thousands  of  men  do  not  possess  as  their  own  an  incli 
of  ground,  and  cultivate  the  soil  of  their  country  for 
proprietors  who  scarcely  leave  them  whereon  to  sup- 
port existence — wherefore  do  so  many  millions  of  acres 
of  apparently  fat  i;nd  fertile  land  remain  uncuitivatcd 
and  absolutely  uselet's?  Or  at  least,  why  do  they  sup- 
port only  herds  of  wild  animals?  Will  men  always 
love  better  to  veKctale  all  their  lives  on  an  uuarateful 
soil,  than  to  seek  afar  fertile  regions  in  order  to  pass  in 
peace  and  plenty  at  least  the  last  portion  of  their 
ilays?" 

With  which  profound  and  knotty  ([uestions  we 
must  leave  Mons.  Franchere  and  the  charmine; 
valley  of  the  Saskatchewan. 

The  next  most  important  valley  westward  is 
that  of  the  Athabasca  lliver,  with  its  tributaries, 
which  Hows  into  Great  Slave  Ltike,  This  region 
is  spoken  of  by  most  of  the  writers  we  have  al- 
ready quoted  in  a  similar  strain  to  their  notices 
of  the  Saskatchewan  valley.  While  passing 
down  one  of  the  tninor  tributaries  of   the  Atha- 


basca, Sir  Alexander  Mackenzie  came  unoii  inaiir 
charming  vii'ws,  a  de.-.cnption  of  one  nf  which  I 
transcribe  : 

"  Within  a  mile  of  the  termination  of  ;he  piirtaze  \*'i\ 
precipice,  which  rines  upward  of  a  thnu-iiiiid  feet  above 
111'- plain  beneath  it,  and  cdnimands  a  m  i.-tl  c)ilfMisi\  r. 
romantic  and  ravishinij  prospeii,  l-'roiii  Ihenci;  the 
eye  looks  down  on  tli"  course  of  Ihelll'le  liver,  by  Fome 
CMlled  the  .''wan,  and  by  fithers  the, Clear  Water  and 
i'elican  Uiver,  b'!iiitiriilly  meanderinK  for  "upwards  of 
th'rty  miles.  The  valley  which  Is  at  once  refreshed  and 
adorned  by  It,  is  about  three  miles  In  breadth,  and  is 
confined  by  two  lofty  ridif^g  of  ei|iial  h..'i)»''it,  di.•p1ayin^; 
a  most  deliKhlful  iiitenuixturi;  of  wood  and  lawn,  anil 
stretchiiiK  on  till  the  blue  mist  obscures  the  prospc.-i.. 
Some  parts  of  the  inclining  h'.-inhts  an'  eovernl  with 
•"tately  forests,  relieved  by  promontories  of  the  finest 
verdure,  where  tlie  elk  and  bull'al  i  find  pasture.  These 
are  contra^tiil  by  spuls  where  lire  ha-"  destroyed  the 
wiiods  and  left  a  dreary  voiil  behind  it.  Nor,  when  I 
beheld  this  wonderful  di-iplay  of  uncultivated  nature, 
was  the  moving  scene  of  human  occ'ui.'ition  wantiiiK  to 
complete  the  picture.  l''rom  this  elevated  situa'ion,  I 
li'helil  my  Pi.'ople,  diminished  as  it  were,  to  half  their 
size,  employed  .in  piti'hinK  their  tents  in  a  charminK 
miad.iw  and  anionKthe  canoes,  which  beiuK  turtieil  on 
their  sides,  presented  their  reddened  bottoms  in  con- 
trast with  the  surroundiiiK' verdure.  It  was  in  the 
inonlh  uf  September  when, I  enjoyed  a  si;ene  of  whicli  1 
do  not  presuTue  to  Rive  an  adeiiuate  descriiition  ;  and  as 
it  was  the  ruttins  season  of  the  elk,  the  whijtlinKof  that 
animal  was  heard  in  all  the  variety  which  the  echoes 
could  aibird  it.'' 

Sir  John  Uichardson  aays  ef  the  country  in  the 
same  viciniiiity,  that  from  Meliiy  Portage  west- 
ward the  country,  though  deeply  furrowed  by 
river  courses  and  ravines,  and  more  or  less 
thickly  wooded,  partakes  so  much  of  a  jirairii- 
character  that  horsemen  may  travol  over  it  to 
Lesser  Slave  Lake  and  the  Saskatchewan.  In 
the  valley  of  this  river  Sir  George  Siini)soii  en- 
countered emigrants  from  lied  lliver,  moving 
with  horses  and  wagons  to  Oregon,  which  fact 
indicates  clearly  the  practicable  chtiraeter  of  the 
country.  Indeed  Sir  George,  in  another  jilace, 
mentions  that  from  Carlton  House  to  l>ow  River, 
about  one  hundred  miles,  he  jiassed  through  :i 
country  very  much  resembling  an  lliiglish  Park. 
The  agricultural  value  of  the  Atha- 
basca valley  increases  as  it  approaches 
the  niouuti.ius,  the  rigor  of  fhe  climate 
being  more  strikingly  modifitd  by  the 
warm  winds  from  the  Pacillc.  Hut  throughout 
its  entire  length,  as  well  as  in  a  considerable  por- 
tion of  the  valley  of  Mackenzie's  Uiver,  the  Hud- 
son Hay  and  Northwest  Companies  have  grown 
at  their  several  posts,  oats,  barley,  potatoes, 
pulse,  and  at  some  places  wheat.  Indeed  wheat 
has  been  grown  at  Fort  Laird,  on  ti  tributary  of 


the  Mackenzie  River,    in    latitude 


North, 


while  barley,  potatoes,  itc,  are  grown  up  to  'l.'i® 
North  latitude.  At  P\)rt  Simpson,  on  the  Mac- 
kenzie, in  IJ'J°  North  latitude,  Sir  .John  Richard- 
son states  that  "  barley  is  usually  sown  from  the 
'20th  to  the  '2.">th  of  May,  and  it  is  expected  to  be 


lU 


riiic  111)  tilt'  li'iili  of  Aui^iisl,  iil'tiT  an  iutiTviil  ofluntil  tliit*  clnns  of  men  liiid  bfjii  HUi>t.'r!<uclod  by 
'JL'  (liiyp.  Ill  Hciine  sinisinis  it  bus  ripoiii'tl  on  tlu''  motliiT,  imd  then  tlio  \*urlil  v.  us  ustdiiiided  with 
IMli.  ()i>t:\  wliiiih  taki-  a  iiinjjcr  tiuif,  do  not  iihe  discovi-iiuM  winch  rnU"('rd.  TIk'  muim 
ihnve  K»  wtll,  and  wheat  dot's  not  coint  (.•iusi*  of  inun  have  occiijiii'd  tho  iron  and 
to  hiatiirily.  I'oiiitot'S  yifid  woU,  iiiul  (.vipinT-hcarinjf  rcj^'ion  of  l.akf  SnpiTJor,  i'or 
no  disease!  liatt  alVi'flL'd  thiMii,  tlioiijih  tliu  early  nearly  two  centiirio.«,  but  thu  vast  iiiiiie- 
I'rosts   Hoineliines  hurt  thy  croii  ."  ral  weiillh  >jxi!<tinjj  Ihere — i^reator  in   all    proba- 

TliistiikeHiis  into  the  niDiintains,  ami  beyond  bility  than  that  of  California— was  left  unnio- 
into  Oreuon,  Wa-hin-ton  and  tln>  a.ljacent '  Itri-,  l^'«'t''l '"  i'«  "'H'vo  bills,  and  its  is  only  within  tho 
ti^h  |',.^^es.sions,  of  allof  which  loan  only  say  ;••'»*  t'-'n  years  that  the  world  has  been  made 
that  it  is  a  niafrniticent  country,  prorincinn  wheat, ;«ven  partially  cognizant  of  its  niiifjnifndo  and 
and  other  small  ^rn.in  nj.  to"  the  '.tih  parallel, I ncbne.ss.  It  is  true,  that  copper  bad  been 
irnnviiiu' all  the  fscnleiits,  abnnnding  in  wood,  j l«n'iwn  to  exist  on  tho  marRin  of  Lake  Superior 
w.iier,  lish,  C(ial  and  ii'mo,  and  donl)lIe.ss  „ihei  i ''"• 'nmy  yearn  previous.  Tip;  Indians  had  som« 
Valuable  minerals  I  knowlod^je  of  it,  unJ    cotnmuiiicated   what  they 

The  ronle  by  which  wo  have  tlms  traveled jknew  on  the  subject  to  tho  traders.  A  large 
over  the  continent  has  inclined  in  a  Northwest- 
erly direction,  on  which  account  thu  Northern 
portion  of  Nebraska  lias  been  avoided.  This 
section  I  have  ipiirposely  Ifft  for  the  last,  becaiise 
of  the  impression  which  j^enerally  obtains,  that 
it  is  a  barren  waste,  an  arid  desert,  which  must 
forever  remain  unpeopled,  beside  provinpan  im- 
passable barrier  to  all  attempts  to  extend  our 
tines  of  railroiid  across  tho  continent  ti)  the  I'a- 
cilic  Ocean.  Tinu;  will  not  permit  of  u  detailed 
description  of  this  country.  I  will  content  my- 
self with  jfivinp;  you  the  observations  of  a  simple 
person  respectinj;  it,  after  a  critical  jiersonal  ex- 
iiminalioii.  Mr.  A.  W.  Tinkbam,  brother  of  our 
fellow-townsman,  K.  I.  Tinkbam,  Esf(. — a  civil 
engineer  and  a    ij;entlemiui  of  sn])erior  ability. 


boulder  of  vir),'in  copper  was  exposed  to  view 
upon  one  of  the  forks  of  tho  Ontonnfjou  River 
by  the  iictioii  of  the  water,  tind  this  was  talked 
')(■  by  the  yi>yiii,'ours  and  trapjiers  on  returniiiff 
from  their  excursions  to  tho  posts  of  the  respec- 
tive companies,  and  occasional  notices  of  it 
found  their  way  into  tho  imblic  prints.  Hut  this 
would  jirobiibly  be  the  present  sum-total  of  our 
knowk'djfe  of  the  subject,  hud  not  the  triippers 
and  Indians  piven  place  to  a  class  of  men  jios- 
*essed  of  the  enterprise  and  requisite  knowledge 
to  trace  u])  to  their  orifjiniil  sources  these 
metalliferous  formations,  by  the  debris  carried 
down  the  water-courses  and  by  other  well 
known  marks. 

We  have  the  same  evidence  of  the  existence 
who  held  a  prominent  position  in  (Jov.  Steven's  of  mineral    districts    in  other    portions    of  the 
survey  of  the  northern  route  for  a  railroad  to  the  country  under  consideration  that  formerly  com 
I'acilic,  thus  sums  up  briefly  the  leading  charac- 1  prised  our  entire  stock  of  knowledffe  lelative  to 
teristics  of  the  section  in  (juestion  :  jtlie  copper  and  iron  of  l^ake   Superior.     The  In- 

••  A  ({00(1  (leal  of  the  countr'/  is  poor,  ill-wooded,  and  .dians  from  time  to  time  have  displayed  metals  of 
with  a  poor  soil.  Tliere  Is  no  such  tliinx  as  desert  itijjjerent  descriptions  at  the  trading:  posts, 
country  or  destitution  olwat.r  any  wl,ere.  Pti"  there  Ijj^,,^  ^j^^^  j^.^^,^  ,^^,j  seldom  disclosed  tho 
is  a  ureal  deal  of  country  'vliieh  is  not  promising  for     ,  „         ',-,,,  ^   i  t.     ■ 

miitivation.  and  is  not  likely  ever  to  be  thickiy  settl.d. :  P'^^ces  from  which  they  were  taken.  I'erhaps 
•  •  •  All  of  this  country  produces  wrasi.  and  ,they  wore  not  hard-pressed  on  this  point  by  the 
is  roamed  over  liy  the  bufTalo.  and  I  should  jud«emiKlit  traders  for  the  reasons  before  alluded  to.  I 
be  used  in  exteu-ive  KiazinR.  Kut  even  in  thii<.  the;,j,ygt^  ij(,^.j.yer,  do  the  Hudson  Bay  Company 
most  unproniiJiiiK  part  of  the  route,  at  intervals  arc •   ,         .      ,.         .  ,  i    i  i        ji     ..       " 

pleasant  and  fertile  spots  which  will  repay  cultivation- ;'h^'  J"'^*"=«  '"  ""l*-'  "^  remarkable  eflort,  on 
asihe  valleys  of  some  of  the  smaller  streaiii'^-and  be  I  Ibeir  part,  to  discover  a  copper  mine,  intima- 
twefii  Kra7,in({  and  tiliinK  it  will  perhaps  be  possible  toltions  of  which  had  been  repeatedly  given  by  the 
occupy  the  Kreater  part  of  the  lands.  It  should  be  re-|  j;„jj,j„g_  ji,._  ile„rnc,  an  odicer  of  that  company, 
collect  ■(!.  too,  that  the  country  has  been  but  very  piir  I       .  ,.  ^    ^^     ^  ,^  ■         nr  i  j     .      i  • 

ti.liy  explored,  and  that  the  examinations  will  brloK  to  j'''^«"''"R  '^^  ^''''^  ^  '"''*"'  ^^''''-'«'  ""^ertook,  and 
liKht  valuable  lands."  !  after  two  or  three  failures,  succeeded  in  conduc- 

mxKUALS.  I  ting  successfully,    an  expedition    to  the   Arctic 

The  subject  of  minerals  must  be  dismissed  .Ocean,  near  which  the  mine  was  reported  to  be. 
with  a  very  brief  and  cursory  notice.  Fur  tra-'  He  found  the  precise  spot  designated  by  the  In- 
ders  are  not  much  given  to  explorations  for  min-!  dians,  found  some  copper  also,  but  not  being  pro- 
erals.  California  and  Oregon  bad  been  roamed, vided  with  tho  requisite  means  for  prosecuting 
over  for  a  century  or  more  by  them— the  gold-  discoveries,  returned  to  Fort  Prince  Wales  very 
bearing  streams  and  gulches  and  canons  had  little  wiser  on  that  subject  than  before, 
been  traversed  and  trapped  over  again  and  Some  of  the  oxides  of  copper  have  been  found 
again,  but  the  secret  of  their  untold  treasures,  in  various  localities  upon  the  head  waters  of  the 
lying  almost  on  the  surface,  remained  unknown  Mississippi,  and  it  is  not  improbable  that  subse- 


17 


quent  '!X|iliir.iti((iis  will  revcil  ilieir  exisiteiice  in  upon  Disco  I.slaml  and  upon  thu  F.iroi.'  Isliuidtt 
suffii-icn  qiKiiitily  t(i  justify  the  ostiibli,«him'nt  nl'iiir  tlu'  cmist  of  (Jri't'iilatid  thus  indiciitiiiff  the 
furruiC'.'H  for  wi>rkiiij{  thiMii.  womlcrful  I'connrny  <if  iiamre,  or   nithor  the  ex- 

Irou  i»  of  frtquMiit  occurriiiiC'.',  nototily  iu  the  isttiicu  of  u  bLiulioent  IVoviflentiiil  desifjii,  by 
eustern  and  soulhirii  scctiotia  of  the  district  uii-  which  nxioiis  deMlitute  of  timber  lire  supplied 
der  review,  biif  almig  its*  northern  bouridiiry 'with  an  easily  accessible  fuel, 
also,  and  on  the  I'aefie  coast,  and  anionir  the  Sir  Alexander  Mackenzie  found  bitumen  fotin- 
mounlain  rnnjjeH.  Indeed  I  am  tempted  to  be-  tainw  in  tliu  valley  of  the  Athabasca,  into  which  he 
lieve  that  a  very  lar^ji' proportion  of  the  northern  thrust  polos  twenty  feet  in  length  without  (ind- 
part  of  the  continent  will  ultimately  be  found  to  in;;  bottom.  In  Sillinian'.s  JfHviinl  I  find  an  nc- 
be  rich  in  nearly  all  of  the  valuable  minerals — theieount  of  usimilar  lake  of  pitch,  or  bitumen,  on 
metalliferous  districts  termimiting  only  with  the  Trinidad,  ono  of  tho  West  India  Islands.  Silli- 
terminus  of  land.     This  hypothesis  is   «tren;;th-;inan  says: 

ened  by  rcent  discoveries  made  in  (<reenland,|  It  Is  belleveil  to  h-  a  snijmcrRPd  lied  of  ve(?etal)lf  mat- 
which  countrv  is  in  reality  but  a  continuation  of  ler,  uiuierKolnpc  slow  distillation  by  voleanlc  action  un- 
.,       ,,,     ,       ■  ,,       .     .  .        .       1     IV      •  .    li.rni     h.    Thin  store  of  bitumen  appears  to  be  lne«- 

the   West.-r.i   Hemisphere.       An    AnKlo-Hani.sh  „^„^^_,,|,.     jj.,^,^^.,,  with  wooaior  fuel  by  tbe  Amori- 

Company  is  at  this  time  enfyaged  in  carrying  onjitan  titeaniers  plyinKon  the  Orinoco  Uiv.T.  Mixed  with 
niininp;  o[)erati()n8  tliere,  ami  ono  of  the  Com-polible.-i  a^d  s'nul  it  inakLs  excellent  pavumunts,  and 
panv's  vessels  not  lonp  since  arrived  at  London  «'-oaiul  Hoom  of  hoiws.  With  ten  per  ce-  t.  of  roainoll 
,       :  L         1         1      11  •  J- LI     ,, it  malies  KO(.d  pitch  for  !-lilps.    The  Karl  of  Dundonaid 

havi.ifr   onboi.rd    valuable    specimens   of  black ;,^^^^  p„^^,,^^^.,,  ,^  ,^,^^.^  „f .,;  ,^^,^,„  „f  ,t_  ^„,,  ,„^^  j„,,„^, 

leail,  plunibi;,'.),  silver,  lead,  cojiimt  and  tin  ores, '  ^,,1  i.xpcriiaentH  'o  discover,  if  possible,  some  means  l'>r 
native  Sliver,    li;;nite  and    coal.     The    presiinip-.maiunK  it  a  substitute  for  India-rubber  and  Kutia  per- 
tion  is  by  no  means  an  unwarrantable    one,  that^'''*  water-proof  or  vulcar,ized  fabrics  ;  and  he  has  al- 
.   ,,     ,,  ,,  ,.  1    ■      ,,  .ready  niude  Hoiiie  vuicanizjd  cloth,  which,  from  appear- 

Con;re„..rs  of  all  the  ores  discovered    in    (.reen,.^„^^.^_  i,.,j^  ^^.^  „f  f,„^^^.  ^^^^.^.^^ 

land  exist  m  groater  or  1l-.ss  quantity    upon  the;     xhus,   when    this    vast   country  comes  to  be 

continent,  also.    That  some  of  them  do  isa  welllpe„pied,  not  only  will  good  soil  be  found   there, 

established  fact.  \\i\\i  material,  in  fjreat  abundance,  for  fuel  and  for 

But  to  return  from  the  field  of  conjecture,  I  jinauufacturiiig  purposes.     Think  of  a  manufac- 

remark  in  the  next  place  upon  the  existence  of jtory,  away  up  there  on  Athabasca  River,  aend- 

coal  in  a  large  portion  of  the  country.    FranchereliniT  down  vulcanized   fabrics  made  from  these 

\  and  Gov.  Simpson  sjieak  of  its  outcropping  atibi'.uniinous  fountains,  and  competinpf   with  the 

j  difTerent  places  ou   the  Saskatchewan.    Lewis  India    Rubber  and   gutta    percha    water-proof 

I    and   Clark   saw  bituminous  coal   between  Fort  |  clothing  of  Horace  II.  Day  &  Co.,  of  New  York  ! 

Chirk  and  the  falls  of  the  Missouri  River.     Cul-j     Lead  has  been  found   in    the   Cascade   Moud- 

bertson    also   saw   coal   in    tho  same   localities.  Itains,     And  the  Indians  of  that  region  have  of- 

Wyeth  saw  large  quantities  of  it  on  the  Yellowiten  brought  into  the    posts  of  the    Hudson  Bay 

Stone.     Gov.   Stevens'   party   found   the   whole  Company  platiua  and  silver   ore — though   they 

country  from  the  falls  of  the  Missouri  westward  have  never  revealed  the  locality   in   which  they 

to  the  nuiuntains,  nearly  five  hundred  miles,  tin- jprocure  it.     Gold  has  recently  been  discovered 

derlaid  with  lignite.    Bmineville  speaks  of  re-lat  Fort  Colville,  and   men    wholly   unskilled  in 

gi(ms  among  the  mountain.s  near  the  head  wtiters  the  occupation  have  taken  out  from  ten  to  twen- 

of  the  Yellowstone,  which  abound  in  anthracite'ty  dollars  per  day.     Fort  Colville  is  in  the  Bit  er 

coal.     In  fact,  coal  has  been  traced  along  thelRoot  range  of  mountains,  in  48°  45' north  lati- 


47th  parallel  of  latitude  for  a  distance  of  nearly 
ten  degrees  of  longitude,  with  a  southern  out- 
crop, rendering  it  more  than  probable,  when 
considered  in  connection  with  the  discoveries  of 
coal  in  the  Saskatchewan,  the  Athabasca,  Mac- 
kenzie's River,  and  Great  Bear  Lake,  that  a  coal 
field  of  greater  extent  than  any  other  in  the 
world  exists  in  the  western  half  of  the  district 
of  country  included  in  our  subject.  Further  ev- 
idence is  found  to  support  this  hypothesis  in 
the  discoveries  of  coal  nearly  all  around  the 
northern  rim  of  the  North  American  continent 
by  the  captains  of  whaling  vessels,  and  by  the 
hardy  explorers  who  have  tempted  the  Arctic 


tude.  The  discoveries  already  made  indicate 
the  existence  of  an  extensive  gold-bearing  re- 
gion in  Washington  Territory  ;  and  it  is  not  im- 
probable, that  the  entire  chain  of  Western 
Mountains,  from  the  Gulf  of  California  to  the 
mouth  of  Mackenzie's  River,  will  ultimately  be 
found  to  contain  deposits  of  this  precious  metal. 

The  most  extensive  systems  of  salt  springs 
and  lakes  abound  in  this  region,  in  dilFerent  loca- 
lities, both  within  the  American  and  the  British 
Possessions,  and  in  some  districts  the  mineral 
itself  is  found  in  great  purity  and  abundance. 

Considering  thu  vast  amount  of  miuvrals  al- 
ready discovered,  with  scarcely  any  scientific  ex- 


seas  in  search  of  a  northwest  passage,  by  the  ploration,  the  hypothesis  is  by  no  means  an  un- 
presence  of  both  coal  and  lignite  in  Greenland,  I  reasonable  one,  that  no  portion  of  the  continent 

3 


18 


uxcenls  ihis  Ta«t  untleTulopud  Northwest  In  allds  of  latitiuli' diiiguniilly,  until  they  piiHS  the 
niinertil  ruHuurcua.  Uocky  Mountuinii,  alter  which  thuy  run  north 

/""  CLIMATIC.  I  ward  nearly  ])arulk'l   with  tho  count   of  tliu  I'u- 

(i  But  notwithHtundiiig  the  resources  of  soil,  oihc.  Thun.  at  tjuubec,  ft;r  example,  in  latitude 
the  extensive  mineral  deposits,  und  the  vast  470^  tj,u  ,„un„  teinperulure  lor  the  year  is  4(i<' 
supplies  of  name  which  the  plains,  forests,  riv  ,,.jjjjp^.„,,^.n  Aline  drawn  I'rom  (Juebec  west- 
ers and  lakes  of  tho  country  contain— still  ""-wurdly,  to  puss  Ihrounh  every  point  at  wliicti  the 
other  fatal  prejudice  in  the  way  of  the  early  ^,„^.a„  touip.ruture,  for  the  year,  .s  the  same, 
settlement  of  the  country  remains  to  he  removed.  ,^.,,^1^  bend  southwardly  at  the  hlart,  ullected. 
According  to  the  popular  impression  ll'«  riP'""  doubtless,  by  the  cold  winds  which  sweep  down 
jf  the  climate,  the  length  of  tho  winters,  "'"l|„„,,bHtructedly  from  HaUln's  Hay  through  Hud- 
the  depth  of  tho  snowB,  render  most  of  the  coun- ^^,jj,g  jj^^^  j^^j  curvinj?  northwardly  again 
try  uninhabitable.    This  is  a  sheer  fallacy.  ^^^  j^  approaches  Lake  Superior,  passing  through 

I  It  is  now  understood,  generally,  that  the  tetn-^^j^^^  ,^,^y  mirth  of  the  tsih  parallel.  I'roceed- 
peraturo  of  any  given  portion  of  the  earth's  ^^^  westwardly  fn.m  Lake  Superior,  the  line 
surface  does  not  depend  entirely  upon  its  I'lti-I^^m  ^.^^^^^  northward,  pa.s8ing  nearly  half  a 
tude.  About  three-fourths  of  the  earth's  surface  |j^^j.^.^,  ^^^^^^^^  ^^,  j^^^^^.  ^,.  ^^^^  vVoods,  which  is  on 
ia  covered  with  water,  and  the  diurnal  motion  of  j^j^^  ^y^,^  parallel,  cutting  the  southern  terminus 
our  planet,  with  other  causes,  maintains  per- „f  l,,^^  Winipeg  north  of  the  parallel  of  .')"<', 
petual  ocean  currents  from  the  K<iuator  towards  crossing  to  tho  north  side  of  the  Saskatchewan 
tho  Poles.  Thus,  that  wonderful  current  in  the  j^^^^^  ^j,  „„nriy  the  52d  parallel,  and  then  pro- 
Atlantic,  knowu  us  the  (;ulf  Stream,  by  carry-  gyj.ji„^  ^^^  ^,.(,1  Cur  ^  short  distance,  where  it  is 
ing  a  largo  volume  of  heated  water  through  tliei,,,^^  ^y  cold  winds  from  a  snow-capjied  range  of 
ocean  directly  to  the  coast  of  Kurope,  gives  to |^,jy  u^^i^y  Mountains,  which  again  curve  the 
that  country  a  climate  fur  more  temperate  than  |j„„  southward  along  tho  eastern  base  of  the 
corresponding  latitudes  on  this  side  of  the -unj^^  u„tii  „n.uting  with  a  depression  it  passes 
Atlantic.  west  of  the  mountains,  where  it  suddenly  bends 

Late  researches  in  the  Pacific,  cspoci-i to  the  north  again,  passing  out  into  the  Pacific 
ally  those  conducted  by  tho  oflicers  attached  to  Ocean  nearly  ten  degrees  north  of  Quebec,  the 
the  Japan  Expedition,  have  established  the  oxis-  starting  point.  I  have  carefully  examined  such 
tence  of  tt  current  in  that  ocean,  entirely  analo- meteorological  tables  of  the  country  as  have 
gous  to  the  Gulf  Stream  of  the  Atlantic.  This  been  kept  at  tho  forts  and  trading  posts  ivithin 
gulf  stream  of  the  Pacific  exerts  the  same  influ-  jt,  uU  of  which,  without  exception,  indicate  a 
ence  upon  the  climate  of  tho  western  coast  of  dilate  in  those  high  latitudes  much  more  lem- 
our  continent  in  modifying  the  temperature,  that  iperate  than  would  prevail   were  it  not  for  the 


its  congener  of  the  Atlantic  does  upon  the  west- 
ern coast  of  Europe.    Astoria,  at  the  mouth  of 


causes  which  I  have  mentioned,  and  perhaps 
some  others  which  future  scientific  research  and 


the  Columbia,  and  Oljmpia,  on  Puget's  Sound, , discovery  may  make  manifest, 
the  one  near  the  46th  the  other   near  the  4«th      ^a  regards  snows  a  word  or  two  only  is  ne- 
parallel  of  North  latitude,  have  a  climate  similarLgg^ry.    ju  no  part  of  the  country  treated  of 
to  that  of  Baltimore,  in  latitude  39>^.  j^^^  ^{^^  ^^^^^  ^qual  in  depth  to  those  of  New 

The  influence  of  these  thermal  waters  extends  England.    This   fact  is  well  knowu  to  the  fur 


far  into  the  continent.  The  great  water-shed  of 
the  mountains,  spoken  of  In  an  early  part  of 
this  discourse,  occurs  in  a  most  marked  depres- 
sion of  the  coast,  it  being  only  about  5,000  feet 
above  the  level  of  the  sea.  Through  this  gap  in 
the  mountains,  several  hundred  miles  in  width, 
and  sucking  up  through  the  valleys  of  the  inter- 
locking streams,  through  the  canons  and  gorges, 


a  vast  body  of  warm  air  direct  from  the  ocean  is  progress  southward  to  u  milder  regon.    Those 


carried  constantly  out  eastward  over  the  plains, 
tempering  the  climate  in  all  its  course,  until 


meeting  with  the  colder  winds  from  the  Atlantic,  emitted  from  the  thermal  currents  of  the  Paci- 

an  equilibrium  of  temperature  is  effected.  fie,  diminish  its  capacity  for  retaining    mois- 

As  a  consequence,  Isothermal  lines— or  lines  ture,    and    in    effect    wring  it  perfectly  dry, 


traders,  and  there  are  physical  causes  why  it 
should  be  so.  Recorded  observations  at  the 
trading  posts,  and  of  lute  years  in  Minnesota,  es- 
tablish tho  fact  that  the  prevailing  winds  of  win- 
ter are  from  the  West  und  North.  Those  coming 
from  the  North,  instead  of  precipitating  moisture 
in  the  form  of  snow  or  rain,  constantly  have  their 
capacity  for  retaining  moisture  increased  as  they 


from  the  West  must  first  cross  the  mountains, 
whose  snow-clad  peaks  condense  the  warm  air 


of  equal  temperature — drawn  east  and  west 
aoroBS  our  continent,  after  passing  west  of  the 
Lakes,  begin  to  curve  northward,   cutting  par- 


wheu  it  passes  in  this  condition  over  the  coun- 
try to  the  east  of  the  mountains. 
In  a  letter  from  Hon.  H.  M.  Rice,  the  present 


19 


Kenri'iienfutive  ill  Cot)  jfredfl  from  MitincHotrt,  to' very  mod.rmc,  anil  driircfljr  i  v  er  lie  l<in;{'T  idnn  on' 
Gov.  SievetiM,  of  Wii»hiii«l<>ii  Territory,  iindi-r  """i"""'*  •Im.' until  ih.-y  ,lu.»|.p.-nr.  Tlu' .•llnmi.- I«  a 
dutoof  June  Od,    1S.',4.  I    Hnd  the  following  in.  «;"•';'''•;'■''''';'*'•<'•/'''»'  '■'  <•"•  ►'»'"'.,  Hui.h.   Th. 

"         writfrN  from  111'' 1  plliiwritciiii' »|iiwn  «rB  imii'li  mori!  »• 
tercitlinK  fucU  on  Uhh  stul.JL'ct  ;  y^re.  tl."  ■(now  iliiriMK  hiKh  win.l*  iJrifUnn  «.>,  ilmt  It  In 

"Nikvl.  all"n  of  till'  Mis»|.(!(lppl  Klvur  cloifM  from  lhei|mpii!nililf  l.ir  ttn?  Irnvil.r  t'l  iiiitn.li  iliirlriK  iliett 
loth  III  till' J.'it'i  of  Novi'iiilicr,  anil  opi'iis  froiii  Ihi- l»t  111  sloriii!i;  tli<'y,  liKWi'Vrr,  Ki'lilniii  Ian'  over  twenty  four 
the  liiihipf  April,  Ttiiil  of  the  Ki'd  lllver  of  Ihf  Nurlli  lioiir.i,  I  hiiv'  w\'-r  Hi'uri  tnow  drift  ili-ip  cnouKli  tc 
clout's  troiii  Nt  111  l.'i  h  NoVfint)or.  and  opi-iij   from  Idih  "'"P  '"^'  ""  "i^"  "iiv" 

to  !l'i  li  April.  I  havi-  oilen  traviUid  from  ft.  Paul  tn  Tin;  f'lict  thut,  on  tlin  huud  wiitcru  of  tlu)  (!o- 
Crow  WliJK  a  dlstancL-ur  one  hundred  and  fifty  inilej,  Intiibiu  iiiid  thi;  Mi.'M<iiiirl,  iiml  IhIiIikI  t)ic  s^iirn 
with  ft -lirmlc  h.ir.Hi' iiud  aUd,  without  I.  track,  iind  hiivi'  '"'d  in  the  j>or>;i'n  of  the  iiiuiiiitiiiiin,  and  iivviiv 
never  lijutid  th..' .tnow  deep  enouRh  to  Impede  my  pro  northward  up  to  llo-  :>'2i{  piinilli'l  of  liitilnde,  iiu- 
gres-i.  I  have  also  gone  from  Crow  Winn,  heyond  the  menHo  herd,-*  of  biilf.ilo  and  nr<''»t  drovt-rt  of  wild 
heail  wateriofthe  .MlnBlJiippI,  to  Ihe  watetHOf  the  Hud-  horHest,  I>iisrt  liu'  wiiitiT  in  >r,,iid  nuidition,  livinp 
von  Hay,  on  fojt  and  without  unow  shoes.  I  dpi-nt  one  "I"',"  ''"'  >f '"*•"*  which  is  not  kilU-d  out,  is  of  itse.f 
entire  winter  traveliiiK  throu.h  that  reKlon.  and  never  '*""''-''''"^i'''i''^''":''  t'"''  l'""  simws  ol  the  ri'f^iori 
fouri  I  the  .sii  iw  over  elghieen  Inches  deep,  and  *cldoiu  "'"':  ""'  .'^.'-'T.  "I""  *•>'-'  t-linnit«  v.  ry  riirorous. 
over  nluu  luvhei,  Lut  this  sul!iL'i,>  on  that  head,  with  the  Mingle 

"For  j'.'veral  years  I  had  tradlnnpostH  cxtendlnK  iiddilioiiiil  remark,  that  so  loin(  as  niilroads  can 
from  LaWe  Superior  to  ihu  Re,l  Rivtjr  ol  the  North  fron  be  operated  in  New  Kiinlaiid  and  aroniid  lliese 
4ii  dfRrei'i  to  4)  deijreea  north  latitude, and  never  found  lakes  in  the  winter  season,  it  is  simply  absurd  to 
thesii'W  SI  deep  as  to  prevent  supplits  heliiKirannport-  '"■>?'-'  '''"  deptli  of  silow  as  an  objectiiui  to  tht 
ed  from  one  post  to  another  with  horseB.  One  winter,.  Northern  route  for  the  J'acitic  Kaiiroad. 
i.onhofCrciw  WIiik,  aav  17  decree*  north  latitude,  1  This  ioiifj  discourse  must  here  etui,  although 
wintered  about  sixty  head  of  horses  and  eattl'  wihoiu  I'"'  MUhject  is  far  from  beiiijf  exhausted.  Fn  fact, 
Kiv.nKtheai  food  of  any  kind  except  such  as  they  could  while  eiifrajred  in  its  preparation,  I  was  all  the 
procure  themselves  under  the  snow.  Iletween  the  «ih  *''•"'«  P'U'dully  imjiressed  with  the  magnitude  of 
and  Wli  deKrees  north  latitude,  the  snow  does  not  tall  '*!'-"  «"'>.i»'C>,  constantly  reali/in^r  how  utterly  fu- 
so  deep  iH  It  does  between  the  40:h  and  Uh  deKre,  „ ;  '''«  "'""'  ^'i  the  attempt  to  do  ade(|nate  justice  to 
thLs  is  easily  accounted  lor  upon  thesatneprlnclple  that  '*'""""'«'^'  'f^'"'"'-'-  ""^  '  '."""^^  '  >"ive  said 
in  the  fall  they  have  frosts  .uuch  earlier  near  the  40ih  '^"""f''  t'' '^^kf"  ""  interest  in  that  wonderful 
that,  tliey  do  near  the  45th  deKree.  I  say  this  in  refer-  ^^rlhwest  which  Htrutches  away  from  ..ur  city 
ence  to  the  country  watered  by  the  Mississippi  Kiver.""  'V'"".f'  illimitable  extent,  and  which  holds 
„  .  ,  ,.  ,,  .  ....  ■  ,1,11  within  It  so  much  ot  promise  for  us  and  for  hu- 
OwuiK  to  Us  altitude   he  atmosphere  is  dry  ''eyond  be-  ,„,^„i  r^^^.^^^  -^  ^j,,'  ^^  ^^.^j,^,,,    .^^^   developed 

lief  which  accounts  for  he  absence  of  frosts  In.the  fall,  j  ^.^,„f„t  ^^i^.^un  a  doubt.  A  hardy,  enterpri- 
and  for  the  s  uall  quantity  of  snow  that  falls  In  a  coun-  ^-  ^ace  has  already  commenced  a  Krand  exodus 
try  so  far  north.  \  oyaKeurs  traverse  the  territory  Irom  ,,.„,„  jt,  ,„r,„yr  seats  to  those  inviting  regions 
Lake  Superior  to  the  .M.ssouri  the  entire  winter  with '„^^,r  „.,,ich  ^y^.  have  been  traveling  in  imagina- 
horses  and  bleds.  haviuK  to  make  their  own  roads,  and  ^[^^^^  (;,r  the  last  hour.  Hailroada  will,  ere  long, 
yet  wiihh-avy  roads  are  not  detained  by  snow.  Lum-  penetrate  theold  solitudes.  Agriculture,  mining 
bermen.  In  Kreat  numbers,  winter  In  theplne  reKlonsof  .,„d  manufactures  will  supersede  the  pursuits  of 
Minnesota  with  their  teams,  and  I  have  never  hear  J  of  the  chase.  Flourishing  villages  and  popuh)U8 
theirflndinK  the  snow  too  deep  to  prosecute  their  labors,  neighborhoods  will  start  into  being  as  if  under 
I  have  known  several  winters  when  the  snow  at  no  time,  the  enchanter's  wand.  Ceres  will  invert  her 
was  over  six  inches  deep."  |  cornucopia  over  the  favored  laud.     The  blighting 

Hon.  H.H.  Sibley,  of  Minnesota,  who  has  had  hoof  of  slavery  shall  never  touch  its  green  swurcT 

mam- vuur,^  avn^ri..i<nu  ;„  >tw>  v<irt>.,»<>af  ,.a  a  <-...■  bttt  frcedoiii  ofbody  uud  of  luiiid  shall  there 
many  years  experience  in  itie  i>ortnwe8t  as  a  lur  ,  .      u'   i     .        i-     •■  i    ..i  l   n 

,  ,.  .  •  ,      ..     hiiVti    its    highest   realization,   and   there    shall 

trader,  confirms  the  stutemeuts  given  by  Mr.  American  Civilization  achieve  its  noblest  tri- 
Rice.    He  further  remarks  that  it  is  a  peculiari-  umphs. 

ty  of  that  climate,  that  calms  prevail  during  the  ■    •    ■ 

cold  weather  of  the  winter  months,  consequently 
the  snow  does  not  drift  to  anything  like  the  ex-; 


From  the  Daily  Diiiiocrutle  PrcKiof  March  17- 

The  Hudson  Hay  (.'oiiipaiiy's  .>lMiioi>oly. 

^     ,  ,  .     »T       r,     ,      ,       »r       »,    .    !     Whoever  has  read  the  article  upon  the  Uude- 

teut  experienced  in  New  England  or  New  "koi-k.^gi^puj  Northern  portion  of  the  American  Con- 

Mr.  Sibley  says  he  has  never   believed  that  rail-  linent,  the   publication  of  which  was  completed 

road  communicatiou  in  that  Territory  would  be '"  ^^'^  P"?,^""  y*^'*'?''<^.">''   Y'"   ^"   have  failed  to 
,     .         J   J  ,      ,,      ,       ,         ,  .„      ^  arrive  at  the  conclusion,  that  the   rights  claimed 

seriously  impeded  by  the  depth  or  drift  of  snow,  ^y  the  Hudson  Bay  Compai.y  over  a  large  por- 
unless,  perhaps,  in  the  extreme  northern  portion  lion  of  America  are  directly  antagonistic  to  the 
of  it.  By  Mr.  Rice's  statement,  however,  it  interests  of  the  included  country,  and  that  if 
_  .,ij„,„™4v.  *  »u  ic     4-  ■         1.      \f     that  giant  monopoly   shall   be    left  much  longer 

would  seem  that  the  qual.ficatmn  given  by  ^i^-  i^  ti,^  ^nd\stnrhld'poss^ss\ox^  oiii^  quau  title, 
Sibley  to  his  opinion,  is  hardly  necessary,  Mr.  jt  will  be  at  the  expense  of  the  rights  of  human- 
Culbertson,  an  old  fur  trader,  gives  the  result  of  ity.  It  was  stated  in  that  article  that  the  validity 
his  observation  for  twenty  years  of  the  snows  o^  '^e  company's  charter  had  been  called  in 
^,      ,      ,       ,  .  ,,      ...  .  „.  question  of  late  years,    but   that  through  the  in- 

on  the  head-waters  of  the  Missouri  River,  as. g^yn^e  of  wealtfi,  of  numbers,  and  of  influential 
follows  :  jconnections  at  home,  it  had  been  able  to  prevent 

"The  average  depth  might  be  e-timated  at  twelve  adjudication  upon  the  subject.  A  recent  exhibi- 
inches,  say  from  the  first  of  December  until  the  first  oftion  of  its  power,  to  the  extent  even  of  controlling 
March ;  frequently,  however,  the  snow  does  not  exceed  grieve  interests  of  the  British  Government,  is  fresh 
six  inches.   In  the  vicinity  of  I'ort  Benton  snoWs  arei'"  the  public  mind.  We  allude  to  the  compact  en- 


20 


torr'I  into  by  tht>  C.impiny  withtht'Oovernmfnt  4      willfti(fneM      for     the    itPttlement    of    th« 


tat 

A> 
of  t 
aoroi 
Lak« 

Mm 


if  tho  KiiHHiiin    I'oxHKNHioiiM  ill  AintTirii, 


ciiuiitry,  uiui  thiH  fxct-ptinn  tn  lU  tri'iicrul  policy 


Ky  iipt<:i,il  Hjfreeinenl  Hut  IIihIhiiii  Itny  ('mii  wmm  tor  tin;  Moitt  piirjinitt!  of  liiirriiitHJn);  u  liuli'd 
piuiv,  mufiiil  yriirrt  aj(o,  cHUbliHhid  11  iniiiihcr  o(  riviil  iiiiil  driviiij;  it  Irorn  tliu  field.  Since  iho 
irndiin;  piinlH  witliiii    the    IdiHniiiii  I'uKHensidiiN.  iitii<pii  of  the  two  (Juinpiinii  s    no  fiiither  eiicour- 

Wlicii  the  w  ir  between    UiiH'«ia   iiiul   the    AllieH  ii)f eiit  him  been  oll'er-d  I..  iiiinii);riilion  to  thia 

coninieiiced,  iheHt!  poHiM,  art  well  U8  Koine  olht-rn  ■"olitiiry  colony;  on    thu   coiilrHry    tho  oppoHlt« 
n  tho  iicichlioihood  of  the  IIiinhIhi,  I'lmHeHsionM,  policy  han  been    piirHiied.     Ovcr'ihtme   who  aru 


were    at    llie    im-rcv    of    Hie    liuMsi.ni  aiitln.ri    there  tliH  C 


tiei. 


I'hile    the     ItiMHittn     V 


oinpany    exercinen  an  iinrhecked  den- 


HeKH'otiH     were  potinm,  nor  havi;   coinplaintH   ouhniitted  by  the 


at  th  •  mercy  of  llie  Allies,  in  thin  Ktite  of  <'oloni.stM  to  the  home  frovermiient  been  followed 
thu  cote  tho  lliidHoii  Hiiy  (Jompuny  enteri'd  into  by  any  relief.  In  every  enMential  of  xovereixnlv, 
.1  cuiiipiict  with  the  (iiivernor  n(  IluMHiiin  Amen-  It  may  therefore  be  Haid,  thu  (Jovi  rument  "of 
ca  by  which  the  rijjhtH  of  euch  were  imitiially  (Jioat  iiritain  hiis  hurreiidiTed  itH  cl.iiiiiH  to  thu 
iruiiriiiteed  diirinif  the  procrexn  of  the  war,  country  to  a  conunercial  corporation  who^e  in> 
The  poHneMsio'iM  of  llu)  Conipiiiiy  which  were  en-  lurewtH  are  inliruly  adverMC  to  iln  Hcttleniint. 
■  lanxireil  rtnioiinted  to  only  a  lew  thousand  dol-  Therein  Home  prospect  that  hlejts  will  whurtly 
iars  The  v;iliie  of  ICus.-iaii  Aiiiunca  to  the  be  taken  wheri'by  the  claim  wet  up  by  Ihc  liud- 
Allies  it  would  be  dillieult  to  esliuiale.  itiil  son  Hay  Company  will  be  lesleij  as  rejf.irds  a 
Huch  was  the  power  of  the  lludsoo  Hny  Company  portion'  at  hast  of  the  territory.  There  is  an  un- 
al  home,  thai  the  (;ovenimcnt.(if(in'ai  Britain  ac-  settled  ((uehtion  touching  the  boiindariert  "Tif 
•  Ml'.  >ced^  ill  the  iirr'.nueiiient.  The  splendid  Canada  which  the  latter  apjiears  (Imposed  lo 
tievt  of  Kreiich  and  lvi;;li»li  ships  sent  into  the  press  lo  an  issue.  Tlicjiirisdiction  which  France 
Pacific  for  the  e.\|irefs  jmrpose,  doiibtlesH,  of  ceded  to  (Jreut  Hritiiin  in  'TH.'l,  it  is  claimed, 
.•<eiziiiK  upon  iliissian  .Viiierica,  wa.s  diverted  included  not  only  the  Canadas.  but  th.it  it  ex- 
♦"rotn  it.-i  duslinalion,  and  cro.Msinjj  over  to  the  tended  westwaid'over  a  l.ir>je  |ioriiou  of  terriio. 
bleak  coast  of  Kamschalka  iiiaile  II  descent  upon  ry  now  occupiid  by  the  ('(Jinpaiiv,  This  sub- 
the  iiisif,'iiillcant  RusJ-iaii  post  of  retnipiinlovski,  j.'Ct  is  bcitij,'  diccussid  in  sonie  of  the  (j.iiiadian 
M  posse.s.sion  of  which  was  of  no  earthly   con-  paiiers,  and   has  excited  some  attention   on  the 


icqueiico  whatever  to  the  Allies 


other  fide  of  the  Atlantic.     A  writer  in  the  M 


on- 

18 


there  is  Houiethinj^  in  this  procedure  entirely  ,treal  llaZilli,  fjelore  alluded  to  in  tliisarticL,  ._ 
inexplic.ble  to  lis  in  the  jiresent  state  of  our  in-  presenfinjj  a  series  of  able  and  intirestiiijr  pa- 
formation.  Why  the  interestH  of  a  company,  [ers  on  this  fulject,  from  one  of  which  we  (|uoto 
consistiiif;  of  only  Home   two  hundred  and    lifiv  the  following  passajje 


sleiuld  t 


dii 


the 


persons,  sliiuitlliave  liecn  tliiis  regarded  by  the  There  can  be  little  doubt  that,  whenever  i 
(Jovernineiit  of  (« rout  Hritain,  while  iia  own  iobjects  and  acts  of  that  corporali  m  sh.ill  have 
interests,  (if  inlinitc'ly /greater  magnitude,  were'bcen  thoroughly  iiKjuired  into  and  discussed, 
unhesitatingly  Kiicrilicetl,  can  only  be  acco  lilted  and  have  become  tlioroughly  understood,  bv 
tor  on  tliu  hypothesis  that  there  is  somethiiij;  moans  of  thu  I'rcss,  so  unanimous  will  be  the  ex- 
beneaUi  the  suif.icu  which  the  parties  interested  pression  of  opinion,  both  in  Kngland  and  Cium- 
would  not  willingly  have  divulged.  A  writer  in  ada,  against  the  (Company,  that  the  latter  will  be 
the  Montreal  (litZfUe  estimates  the  jirobable  loss  made  to  feel  that  power  which  they  now  iippa- 
to  the  Hudson  Bay  Company  t.t  from  ten  to  rently  despise,  and  thus  have  cause  to  regret 
iweiily  thoiiriaiid  pound.s,  had  the  English  (iov-  that  their  conduct  and  pretensions  have  been  Mich 
urnment  refused  to  sanction  the  compact.  Had  as  to  arouse  the  attention  of  the  Press  and  to  ob- 
there  not  been  some  other  cause  than  is  piiteni  tain,  as  well  as  to  merit,  general  condemnation, 
upon  the  surface  of  the  transaction.  Great  IJritain  The  Hiiglish  I'ress  is  awakening,  us  well  as  thai 
would  undoubtedly  have  indemnified  the  Com-  of  Canada,  to  f,  sense  of  the  importance  of  briiig- 
pany  for  its  lo!is,  and  have  seized  upon  the  iiine'iiig  to  lui  early  issue  the  iiiieslion  of— whether 
hundred  thousand  ytpiure  miles  of  territory  the  Hudson's  Hay  ('ompany  shall  be  permitted, 
belonging  to  jliissia,  Willi  its  arsenals,  towns,  etc:,  for  purely  seltish  objects,    to   condemn   forever 

Hut  our  object  in  this  article  was  mainly  to  call  a  portion  of  this  continent,  as  large  as  the  whole 
attention  to  thu  attitude  in  which  the  (Jovcrn-, of  Europe,  to  the  darkest  gloom  V  A  (|uestion 
ment  of  Great  Britain  stands  before  the  world  which  must  soon  come  before  the  legislatures  of 
in  toleiating  any  longer  the  existence  of  the  HiiJ-  both  countries,  but  which  will  be  decided  prin- 
son  Bay  Comjiany.  Here  is  un  inmienae  habit-  cipully  by  the  action  taken  upon  it  here, 
able  domain,  possesssed  of  great  natural  resour-j  We  write  on  this  .subject  in  no  spirit  of  uution- 
oes,  and  eminently  adapted  to  the  abode  of  civil- jal  prejudice.  The  interests  of  humanity  de- 
ized  communitie.",  kept  securely  locked  against :  maud  a  wider  and  loftier  sweep  of  thought  than 
settlement  by  a  few  individuals,  whose  original: those  of  individuals  or  of  natiouulities ;  and 
right  there  is  more  than  questionable,  and  which  those  interests  require  that  the  giant 
right  is  said  to  have  been  forfeited  again  and  monopoly  whicli  now  holds  the  Northwest  in  its 
again, if  it  were  valid.  And  this  is  done  through  jgrasp,  be  driviMi  out  of  existence,  and  the  whole 
the  agency  of  tho  government  whose  interesis'country  thrown  open  to  settlement.  We  stop 
all  seem  to  be  upon  the  side  of  the  speedy  settle-!  not  to  inquire  whether  or  not,  in  the  course  of 
ment  and  developiiieut  of  the  country  claimedihuinan  events,  a  closer  bond  of  sympathy  may 
by  the  Comiiany.  unite  us  with  tlie   communities   which   will  ulti- 

During  the  continuanc(»  of  the  fierce  rivalry 'mately  be  organized  there.  That  is  a  matter  of 
which  existed  between  the  Hudson  Buy  and  thelsmall  importance  compared  with  the  consid.  ra- 
Xorthwest  companies,  the  former,  that  they  jtiou  whether  communities  shall  be  permitted  to 
might  cut  oir  the  profitable  trade  which  the  lat-'grow  up  there  at  all  or  not.  Only  let  Great 
ter  were  carrying  on  with  the  Indians  on  theBiitain  see  to  it  that  this  broad  field  for  human 
Red  River  and  about  the  head  waters  of  theleuterprise  is  thrown  open  to  occupation,  and 
iMiasfesippi,  established  a  colony  on  the  foraierlthen  let  the  future  take  care  of  itself.  We  hope 
river.  This  colony  furnishes  the  only  instance  to  see  this  subject  agitated  until  the  desired  re- 
in     which     the    Company     have     inaDifestcdlsults  are  obtained. 


'i 

3 


« 


l! 


khtt 

icy 

Itvd 
jtliu 
J)ur- 
flhlB 
iHite 
lire 

lltH- 

thu 

|)Wf<l 

it    of 
lo  thu 
in- 
Ill. 

^inrtlr 
llu.\- 
|,ir<l!«  a 
III)  un- 

U-H    t.f 
|ir<i'il    10 

Fruiice 
litiini-d, 

I  il   I'X- 

tfrni'i- 
111!*  tiiib- 

Ulilllilll 

II  nil  the 
ill.'  Moii- 
irlicli',  IS 
stun:   Jiii- 

VH:  IJlltite 

iK'VtT  the 

li.ill  liiive 
(lihC'iissi'd, 
■t(t<io(l,   by 

bo  ilifox- 
iiiid  ('iiiirt- 
tter  will  be 

now  mipa- 
e  to  ri')jret 
e  been  Mith 
s  iiiul  to  iib- 
idemiiiition. 
wull  "»  thiit 
iceof  brill j;- 
i)t'— wbi'ibtr 
L'  permittod, 
•mil  forever 
us  the  wliolo 

A  (jnesiion 
pislaiures  of 
fcided  prin- 
hcre. 

rit  of  uutiou- 
unmnity  de- 
tbought  than 
alities ;  and 
thu  giant 
rthwest  in  its 
lud  the  whole 
at.     We  stop 

the  course  of 
(Tinpathy  may 
iiich  will  "Ill- 
is  a  mutter  of 
the  coiisidrrii- 
e  permitted  to 
July  let  Great 
"Id  for  human 
ccupation,  and 

jelf.     VV«  h"P^ 
Lhe  desired  re- 


1/ 


